(Anthony Alfaro as César, Production photo by Julieta Cervantes)

by Tim Leininger

NEW YORK — The Potluck, a new musical by César Alvarez, is an exploration of self through the lens of the Greensboro Massacre. It’s a beautiful journey of self-discovery, but sometimes the historical element gets minimized for the sake of the inner struggles of the protagonist.

            Directed by Sarah Benson and running through Aug. 2 at Playwright Horizons at 416 42^nd St., The Potluck is produced by Soho Repertory Theater and INTAR, with Signal Producing Support from Civis Foundation with collaboration with Spirits Go Blah. The Potluck is an autobiographical piece with Anthony Alfaro playing the composer César. They are a queer playwright/composer, who has been commissioned to write a musical about the Greensboro Massacre — where during a Communist Workers Party protest in 1979, five protesters were killed by members of the Ku Klux Klan and the Nazi Party.

(L-R: El Beh, Barbara Walsh, Anthony Alfaro, Production photo by Julieta Cervantes)

            César, whose parents, played by Rubén Flores and Barbara Walsh, were members of the Communist Workers Party, struggles trying to come up with a narrative that honors the protesters while not repeating what has been documented by their own mother’s documentary film, trying to provide some fresh perspective. This meta narrative creates solutions and problems to the musical, as we get an interesting and introspective show of a queer person trying to understand who they are, where they come from, and their place in their art, while also not fleshing out enough the people who were killed in the massacre, which is the premise of the plot in the first place.

            Alvarez has created a rather Brechtian show — with a not-so-subtle reference to their artistic aims later in the musical. They are less concerned with storyline as they are with addressing themes and expressing the themes musically instead of having the songs move the plot forward. There are a couple that do, but more on that later. The idea appears to be to have the audience connect to the emotional struggle of each moment, if not necessarily pushing the plot forward with each beat. César, with the help of their assistant, Moss (Jasmine Rafael) attempt to connect with the five people who were killed in the massacre in 1979, which works, and the spirits guide them on their journey. César also reaches out to their parents for assistance as well, who in their affections recount some of the most moving moments of the show.

(Anthony Alfaro as César, Production photo by Julieta Cervantes)

            Where The Potluck falters is that, as a musical about the Greensboro Massacre, learning about the people who were there plays second fiddle to César’s story. We get some documentary footage of the actual massacre (which people who are sensitive to such footage are allowed to step out of the theater and return when it’s over), the characters are present through much of the show, and we get recounts of who they are to some degree from César’s parents, but we don’t get too much into who they were. We know two were doctors, and we get some taste of each of their personalities, but it is mostly surface. We understand their political passions, but I would have liked to have seen them developed more so we, along with César could make a deeper connection with them. Instead, the musical ends up being more about César and how they develop, and change based upon the emotional connections made with the five. It would have been more emotionally effective if we had more of that connection with the five.

            This is probably why my favorite two numbers come from Mom and Dad. Barbara Walsh sings “The Myth” beautifully as she expresses the struggle of reality versus truth, and how once you’re a part of a story, it’s difficult to change it from the inside. Rubén Flores’ song “Mandela,” is maybe the most traditionally musical theater of the whole show. It’s an emotionally moving piece that starts from César asks their dad what he would say to Cesar — one of the deceased, and whom César is named after. The spirit of Cesar (Gian Pérez) appears as he sings about all the things the two never got to experience because of Cesar’s death.

(L-R: Rubén Flores as Dad, Barbara Walsh as Mom, Production photo by Julieta Cervantes)

            There are moments of brilliance like this throughout The Potluck, moments that move and endear the audience to the characters. I wish there were more of it, though. The Potluck suffers through an identity crisis, in part because it seems that César isn’t sure what it should be about through most of the show as they’re writing it. It creates a sometimes-confused piece as the metatextual narrative gets in its own way.

            The performances are good. Alfaro gives a sensitive, slightly neurotic quality to César, filling the character with self-doubt and insecurity as they struggle with connecting themselves to the victims of the massacre. Walsh is delightful as Mom, playing her with sensitivity and grace. The ensemble as a whole play like a Frederico Fellini ensemble, full of eccentricities, color, and character, if a little lacking in character development.

(L-R: Rubén Flores, Dionne McClain-Freeney, Jessica Lurie, Anthony Alfaro, Sammy Figueroa,Jacob Brandt. Production photo by Julieta Cervantes)

            The scenic design by Emily Orling is fairly simple, with two central pieces with the parents’ kitchen stage right and César’s office stage left. The kitchen is practical as Mom and Dad make paella in act one that slowly cooks through the rest of the show, which is great. At one point in the show a secondary wall is revealed decked with fluorescent colors that adds dimension to the show as César’s spiritual journey develops.

            The Potluck struggles in identifying what it wants to be. Is it about the Greensboro Massacre or about a person’s discovery of self? It tries to be both, and while I like the journey of self-discovery César takes, I wish it wasn’t so much at the expense of the victims of the massacre.

(I have recused myself of reviewing Rubén Flores’ performance, as he is a friend of mine).

TICKETS: https://www.sohorep.org/

PRODUCTION

Written by César Alvarez; Directed by Sarah Benson; Choreographer: Ana Maria Alvanez; Music Director: Alex Bechtel; Orchestrations & Arrangements: César Alvarez; Scenic Designer & Spiritual Advisor: Emily Orling; Costume Designer: Qween Jean; Lighting Designer: Mextly Couzin; Sound Designer: Eamon Goodman; Video Designer: Stefania Bulbarella; Props Supervisors: Maria Feuereisen & Thomas Jenkeleit; Casting Director: Taylor Williams, CSA; Associate Director: Dante Green; Special Effects Consultant: Jeremy Chernick; Vocal Coach: Kate Wilson; Production Stage Manager: Sara Sahin

CAST

Anthony Alfaro as César

El Beh as Jaime/Cello & Percussion

Jacob Brandt as Jim/Bass, Banjo & Moog

Andrew R. Butler as Bill/Guitars & Moog

Sammy Figueroa as Sammy/Percussion

Rubén Flores as Dad

Jessica Lurie as Jessica/Woodwinds and Melodica

Dionne McClain-Freeney as Sandi/Keyboards

Gian Pérez as Cesar/Percussion & Guitars

Jasmine Rafael as Moss/Percussion & Keyboard

Zack Segel as Mike/Drumset

Barbara Walsh as Mom