notjustaboutsex

c Jeremy Varner

I can’t remember if I ever watched Morrie Schwartz on the Ted Koppel show as I may have confused him with Andy Rooney who signed off on 60 Minutes. But the book Tuesdays with Morrie was very familiar. It was written by Mitch Albom and explores his very close friendship in the last year of Morrie’s life, when Morrie lay “living” with ALS.

This memory play produced by Sea Dog Theater is a touching story about mentorship, life, and the importance of love above all else. Chris Domig, who is also the artistic director of Red Dog, does a fine job as Mitch, conveying the angst of a young man, unsure of himself and the choices he has made in life which give him success but not peace. He is a gifted jazz pianist who throws over his art for a real career in sports journalism, but something is missing. When he chances upon his old Brandeis professor and learns that he is ill, he makes weekly visits to his coach, enabling them both to put closure on a special relationship that Mitch abandoned while trying to grow up. He starts out the show playing jazz piano, so the audience doesn’t know if he’s a warm up or part of the show.

It’s a tough role…… Mitch is a whiny guy who is frightened of his feelings. He needs the warmth and wit of Morrie to come alive and as played by the fabulous Len Cariou, he eventually does.

 Mr. Cariou seems feeble at first, holding onto the piano for balance…but when he opens his mouth, there is so much richness, that even when his character is close to death, you feel you are still with the most alive person in the room, including the audience.  When he tells Mitch about trying to have kids, his face takes on the look of someone remembering all the good sex he and Connie, his wife had, while trying. Of course, the one-time demon Barber of Fleet Street is sexy still, with his deep, resonating voice as he goes through the stages of his last year with grace and strength.

Morrie and Mitch’s conversations about life and death are humane and identifiable. Morrie is a man who sees the big picture while understanding that it’s the small gestures that make a good life.

The writing, thanks to Jeffrey Hatcher and Albom is sharp and it’s terrific that Mitch taped those conversations because we really get to hear Morrie’s wit first hand.

Directed by Erwin Mass, the show moves at a nice pace and cleverly uses one main prop. The chair Morrie sits on becomes the symbol of his body’s changes, with Mitch adding foot pedals and a head rest as Morrie becomes sicker. This gives Mitch something to touch and fuss over…until he’s finally able to touch Morrie’s head and surrender to his real feelings of love.

The only pick I have is that Jerry Rubin went to Oberlin College. It was Abbie Hoffman who studied at Brandeis and after seeing this wonderful play, I wonder if Abbie’s life would have been different if he too had been coached by Morrie Schwartz.

Tuesdays with Morrie runs until 4/20 at St. George’s Episcopal Church, located at 209 East 16 St., between 3 Ave. and Rutherford Place