Off-Broadway Review: “Saving Stan” at the Broadway Bound Theatre Festival

Joseph Verlezza

The sixty-minute one-act play “Saving Stan” is being presented as part of the inaugural season of the Broadway Bound Theater Festival at 14th Street Y Theater. Playwright Gary Morgenstein has penned a story with an interesting premise; however, at present the script is slightly scattered and confusing. Stan (Carlo Fiorletta) has suffered a severe stroke which leaves him incapacitated, unable to speak, and assisted by health care worker Patrice (Olivia Baseman). His almost bankrupt best friend Jack (Jordan Auslander) comes to visit and for some unknown reason he is the only one who can hear Stan speak. Stan asks Jack to help him commit suicide in exchange for inheriting a sizable amount of money from the estate. Patrice has her own intentions of marrying Stan, this would be his fourth wife, and woos him by singing, dancing with him in his wheelchair and trying to take him to her brother’s house for lunch. All this unfolds before the botched execution of the fatal act.

The numerous short encounters are punctuated by blackouts to indicate a time lapse or a different visit but consequently they interrupt the action, any emotional drive and dramatic arc. There are too many unanswered questions that undermine the plausibility of the plot. When did Stan write his will leaving Jack all his money in exchange for his aberrant help since he is incapacitated? Why is Jack the only one that hears Stan speak? Why does Patrice come back to Stan’s place after she has left and will no longer work there? How did Patrice get access to read Stan’s will?

The characters spend quite a bit of time arguing but there is very little exposition and occasional forced humor. They merely appear as pawns in a very bewildering game of intrigue. As with any mystery drama dealing with a death, the script must be fervid and tight with no loose ends causing doubt.

Perhaps if the device of short vignettes followed by a blackout needs to be incorporated, when the lights come up the audience should be faced with a shocking scene followed by the explanation. This way the audience will engage in anticipation of the next scene. For instance, the scene where Patrice is wooing Stan by singing and dancing ending with a kiss. If the lights came up and Patrice was kissing Stan the audience becomes immediately interested in what is happening and wants the explanation. It is a reverse strategy, shock then explain. It may help the pace of the piece. The end is a bit confusing mostly because of staging (and possibly a technical difficulty). Avoiding a spoiler alert, possibly it needs to be opened up so we can see Stan and his propped-up arm accidently falls which causes the following escapade.

Mr. Morgenstein has an absorbing one-act in the incubator that needs more attention to detail along with an infusion of desperation, motivation and exposition to the characters. It relies on unconventional devices within the plot and therefore requires unorthodox direction and staging.

SAVING STAN

The cast of “Saving Stan” features Jordan Auslander, Olivia Baseman, and Carlo Fiorletta.

Taylor Mankowski serves as lighting designer and stage manager for “Saving Stan.”

All performances of the Broadway Bound Festival run at the 14

th Street Y Theatre (344 East 14th Street). For further information about the BWB Festival, the schedule of performances, and to purchase tickets at $25.00 - $50.00 (VIP), please visit https://www.broadwayboundfestival.com/. Running time for “Saving Stan” is 60 minutes without intermission.