A Catered Affair

A Catered Affair, with a book by Harvey Fierstein and songs by John Bucchino, is a taut, sensitive, intelligently written, understated drama with music. Fierstein’s words and Bucchino’s songs seem very much of a piece. Generously, in this play Fierstein has actually written better roles for others than for himself.

The action centers around two parents (portrayed by Tom Wopat and Faith Prince), planning a wedding for their daughter (Leslie Kritzer). It is 1953, their son has just died in the Korean War, and they are considering spending all they can afford—and then some—to give their daughter one memorable day. The performances by Prince, Kritzer, and Wopat are utterly believable. Wopat’s work comes, in fact, as a revelation. He displays a depth, a gravitas he’s had no opportunity to display before. The tension between the characters played by Wopat and Prince, trapped in a loveless marriage, feels totally true to life. Fierstein gets some nice moments as a gay uncle, but his character (properly) is marginal to the central story.

This play-sized musical, directed by John Doyle, is based on a 1950s Paddy Chayefsky teleplay (which was subsequently adapted for the screen by Gore Vidal.) And it preserves the tone and feel of a Chayefsky drama. It’s not going to be for everyone. (If you want a musical that feels like a rock concert, look elsewhere.) It’s a low-key piece. But it’s honest, and thought-provoking, and offers its own quiet rewards.

Chip Deffaa
Cabaret Scenes
May 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org