Theater Review: Chase Stubblefield’s remarkable turn makes ‘Good Night, Oscar’ a must-see
By Heather Parish
There are performances that anchor a production, and then there are performances that seem to envelop the actor giving them. Chase Stubblefield’s turn as Oscar Levant in Good Company Players’ production of “Good Night, Oscar” is firmly in the latter category—a deeply felt piece of character work that powers an already terrific production into must-see territory.
Doug Wright’s “Good Night, Oscar” imagines a (fictional) 1958 appearance by pianist, wit, and chronic depressive Oscar Levant on Jack Paar’s “Tonight Show.” Granted a brief pass from a psychiatric hospital, Levant arrives at NBC armed with his razor-sharp tongue, his formidable musical gifts, and a lifetime of insecurities. As the evening unfolds, the play peels back the layers of a brilliant man whose public humor barely conceals profound pain, asking where the performance ends and the personal begins.
Stubblefield fully comes into his talent as a character actor as Levant, showing someone using performance as both fodder for and escape from his demons. The fact that Stubblefield is also a gifted pianist allows the play’s climax to land as fully as possible. His rousing playing at the keys caps a robust performance as a whole, channeling the pain of Levant’s failures, wishes, and deep wounds into a moment that feels genuinely transcendent.
Renée Newlove, as Levant’s long-suffering but highly capable wife, June, also raises her game in this performance. Her June is by turns tender and tough-as-nails and is at her most compelling in the scenes she shares with Stubblefield as they navigate the minefield of their marriage.
As NBC executive Bob Sarnoff and television host Jack Paar, Henry Montelongo and Gordon Moore deliver their quips and criticisms at high speed, their opening scene setting the tone and pace for the whole show (which comes in at a very comfortable two hours, including intermission).
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Joshua Shadle rounds out the principal cast as George Gershwin—or at least the George Gershwin of Levant’s memory, the one Levant both idolizes and blames for the ways his own career never took the trajectory he expected. Shadle is suave, knowing, and just insinuating enough to remain a shadow over Levant’s mind, like a mid-century-modern Amadeus to Levant’s schlubby Salieri.
Completing the cast are newcomers Owen Melrose as production assistant Max and Jayvaughn Sterns, Jr. as Alvin, the orderly assigned to keep Levant in line during his day pass. Each finds moments of insight and insecurity that give the story broader texture while providing Levant with unexpected character foils.
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J. Daniel Herring’s direction is elegant throughout, including several inspired touches that keep Levant’s mental fragility in constant tension with his abrasive, self-deprecating humor. Levant remains a clear mess—all rumpled suits and grotty slippers—in striking contrast to the sleek mid-century sophistication of NBC’s green room.
David Pierce’s gorgeous set design looks as though it has been lifted directly from a 1956 Herman Miller showroom, perfectly capturing the polished world of network television. Elizabeth Crifasi makes excellent use of the 2nd Space Theatre’s lighting with subtle fill specials, used to carefully emphasize moments of import, and a beautiful bokeh effect that sets the baby grand piano apart. Costumes by Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed are equally well chosen, giving the entire production a television-ready sheen.
All in all, “Good Night, Oscar” makes for a terrific production that deserves full houses for the remainder of its run. But it is Stubblefield’s remarkable embodiment of Levant and that electrifying turn at the piano that earns the standing ovations this production will continue to receive.
This one is a don’t miss.
“Good Night, Oscar” continues at the 2nd Space theatre through August 16.
