AFTER
A
WINTER
of
plays
about
Russia,
the
Studio
Theatre
brings
the
great
American
pastime
to
the
Mead
Theatre.
“Take
Me
Out,”
gay
playwright
Richard
Greenberg’s
Tony
Award-winning
comedic
drama
celebrates
baseball
along
with
telling
a
bumpy
coming
out
tale.
The
show’s
clever
title
aptly
refers
not
only
to
“take
me
out
to
the
ballgame,”
but
also
“out
of
the
closet,”
and
“out
of
this
world”
—
as
in
dead.
Consummately
staged
by
Kirk
Jackson,
“Take
Me
Out”
delivers
on
two
levels:
it’s
funny
and
it
has
something
to
say.
Darren
Lemming
(M.D.
Walton)
is
no
mere
mortal.
Not
only
is
he
an
adored
all-star
major
league
outfielder
for
the
New
York
Empires,
he’s
also
handsome,
rich,
biracial
and
happily
removed
from
everyone.
When
he
inexplicably
outs
himself
during
a
televised
news
conference
(there
are
no
lovers
waiting
in
the
wings,
no
gay
rumors),
Lemming’s
halo
is
knocked
a
wee
bit
askew,
but
because
of
his
superhuman
ability
he
retains
his
niche
in
the
pro
sports
pantheon.
It’s
when
the
Empires
bring
sensational
but
moronic
relief
pitcher
Shane
Mungitt
(Jake
Suffian)
up
from
the
minor
leagues,
that
the
stuff
really
hits
the
fan.
A
confused
racist,
Mungitt
foolishly
chooses
to
say
a
few
words
on
air,
crudely
expressing
his
discomfort
of
playing
alongside
his
multi-ethnic
teammates,
as
well
as
the
horror
of
having
to
hit
the
showers
with
“a
faggot”
after
every
game.
As
the
remainder
of
the
season
unfolds,
Lemming’s
teammates,
fans,
coach
and
the
media
react
to
his
announcement.
The
fans
and
media
seem
OK,
and
his
tough
coach
claims
that
Lemming’s
revelation
changes
nothing,
but
eventually,
some
of
the
other
players
disclose
some
displeasure.
Both
Lemming’s
brainy
teammate
Kippy
Sunderstrom
(Tug
Coker)
and
his
nerdy
gay
financial
adviser
Mason
Marzac
(Rick
Foucheux)
narrate
the
action
in
what
often
become
poignant
monologues
framing
fierce
exchanges.
AS
MARZAC,
FOUCHEUX
is
playwright
Greenberg’s
onstage
mouthpiece,
a
middle-aged
gay
man
totally
smitten
with
his
new
love
and
eager
for
the
world
to
know.
The
love
is
baseball,
and
that
his
relationship
with
Lemming
affords
Marzac
close
proximity
to
tobacco
chewing
jocks,
only
raises
the
accountant’s
heart
rate
even
more.
Foucheux
energetically
nails
Marzac’s
evolution
from
a
bundle
of
personal
insecurities
to
an
animated
advertisement,
brimming
with
childlike
enthusiasm
for
the
game.
Walton,
Suffian
and
Coker
give
terrific
performances
as
well.
There
is
an
awful
lot
of
locker
room
nudity
in
“Take
Me
Out”
that
is
neither
particularly
off
putting
nor
alluring.
Sometimes
it’s
essential.
In
a
scene
after
Lemming
comes
out,
his
teammates
are
showering
together
when
one
of
the
players
drops
the
soap.
Nobody
wants
to
pick
it
up.
It’s
an
awkward
moment
funnily
staged.
What
was
once
a
male
paradise
is
no
longer.
The
guys
see
each
other
naked
and
they
don’t
like
it.
With
the
team,
the
playwright
has
made
a
mistake.
While
Greenberg
has
written
a
sensitive
role
in
Japanese
pitcher
Takeshi
Kawabata
(Ikuma
Isasc),
the
two
Latino
ball
players
are
sadly
one-dimensional.
And
that’s
unfortunate,
because
capable
actors
(Anthony
Gallagher
and
Cesar
A.
Guadamuz)
are
cast
as
Martinez
and
Rodriquez.
But
overall,
Studio
definitely
hits
a
homerun
with
“Take
Me
Out.”
