The Submission

Eddie Kaye Thomas, left, Jonathan Groff, Rutina Wesley and can Rogers star within the Walter Bobbie-directed The Submission. An MCC presentation, by special arrangement using the Lucille Lortel Theater Foundation, of the play in a single act by Shaun Talbott. Directed by Walter Bobbie.Danny - Jonathan Groff Trevor - Will Rogers Pete - Eddie Kaye Thomas Emilie - Rutina WesleyWhite boys can't jump -- or do they really? Scribe Shaun Talbott reframes that question inside a provocative means by "The Submission," whenever a whitened playwright uses the pseudonym of the black lady to submit his play (about "an alcoholic black mother and her card-sharp boy trying to get away from the projects") to some exclusive theater festival. This subterfuge results in some inflammatory fights on race and gender between your scribe and the alter-ego. However the figures are caught between sitcom and emo-drama, missing the brains -- or, failing that, the fundamental vocabulary -- to create these calculated smackdowns more credible. What is more amusing? A whitened, middle-class playwright named Danny Larson (the appropriately disarming Jonathan Groff) recognizes that no a person's likely to read a play concerning the black experience compiled by "a whitened, whitened dude." So he submits his play, "Call a Spade," towards the Humana Festival underneath the made-up title of "Shaleeha G'ntamobi." This feminine (and "type of black") title does the secret, and "Call a Spade" is recognized for production. Which puts Danny within the tricky position of finding anyone to impersonate the bogus "Shaleeha" throughout the extended production process in the Festival's theater in Louisville, Ky. The task of "legitimizing the play" would go to Emilie Martin (inside a vibrant and breezy perf from Rutina Wesley), a black actress who concurs to do something as Danny's mouthpiece throughout rehearsals and reveal the play's true authorship on opening evening. No real surprise, Emilie falls deeply in love with the play, will get swept up within the production, and manages to lose herself in her own role. To date, everything is both funny and poignant, the method in which Walter Bobbie ("Chicago") has directed the general production. Such as the understated humor of David Zinn's set -- a turning number of self-purposely "original" Local cafe coffee shops, bookstores that look vaguely exactly the same -- the satire is clever without having to be cutting or cruel. Different color leaves, the supporting figures are performed with increased wit than bite by Will Rogers (very easily endearing as Danny's closest friend, Trevor) and Eddie Kaye Thomas (a certifiable saint as Danny's loyal lover, Pete). Should you met these folks inside a sitcom, you'd love them. The truth is, the play is not a real comedy, which poses problems when things get ugly between Danny and Emilie. To place it candidly, Danny's a racist -- a genuine one. His casual conversation is filled with racist comments which go far beyond any whitened man's legitimate beef about reverse prejudice. Although Groff lays around the charm (and such a stroke of casting which was), Danny's insensitivity boosts serious questions regarding his character. The primary question, obviously, is when this type of narrow-minded and callous person could write an "authentic" play about black people. (As well as survive 4 years in New Haven while being trained at Yale.) But you might also need to question the way a sweetie like Pete would endure him, or the way a nice guy like Trevor could stay buddies with him. The solutions can not be present in Danny's background, because Danny doesn't have personal history. However, neither has Emilie or, for your matter, other people within the play. All of them exist strictly within the moment, in a single universal, constantly turning Local cafe. Even sitcom figures receive more backstory than that.Sets, David Zinn costumes, Anita Yavich lighting, David Weiner seem, Ryan Rumery original music, Ryan Rumery and Christian Frederickson forecasts, Darrel Maloney production stage manager, Timothy R. Semon. Opened up Sept. 27, 2011. Examined Sept. 23. Running time: 1 Hour, 40 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com