Susan Granger’s review of “Joanna Gleason: Out of the Eclipse” (Quick Center)
The death of parents is one of the most emotional and universal human experiences, yet it’s one that’s seldom discussed. ‘Til now.
Joanna Gleason is the Tony Award-winner as Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as the Baker’s Wife in Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” on Broadway and lauded for her screen roles in “Boogie Nights,” “The Wedding Planner” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.”
Now she’s created the magical, wonderful “Out of the Eclipse,” wryly delving into the devastating, complicated, surprising and maddening emotions evoked by the traumatic loss of both her parents within a four-month period in 2017 during which there was a solar eclipse.
As she tells it, her father (game show host Monty Hall) and mother (Marilyn) came to the United States from Canada, filled with hopes and dreams. Settling in Los Angeles, they raised three children.
“Humor and love were the greatest currency in our family, and it’s important we share our stories,” she says – and so she does.
Told directly to the audience, their painful, powerful saga is filled with revelation, wonder and remarkable twists of fate. It’ deeply funny and perfectly peppered with music and songs that build up the narrative. There’s a Yiddish lullaby, along with music by Rogers & Hart, Paul Simon, James Taylor and others..
Serving as her Greek chorus, Gleason is accompanied by the Moontones (Michael Protacio, Christine Cornell, Christiana Cole) and four musicians: Jeffrey Klitz on piano, Katherine Spingham on cello, Shane Del Robles and Justin Rothberg on string instruments.
Plus, there’s an endearing duet with Gleason’s husband, Chris Sarandon, whom she met during rehearsals for the ill-fated Broadway musical “Nick and Nora.”
Above all, Joanna Gleason acknowledges that being ‘on your own’ is not the same as being alone. In hindsight, when we experience grief, we often come to a greater understanding of our connection to each other and to the universe.
After her performance at Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts, next stop on Joanna Gleason’s tour is Los Angeles’ LGBT Center’s Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center on February 15 & 16, 2020.