By Carol Davis
SAN DIEGO—San Diego Musical Theatre is in its second year of producing musicals (may be the answer to Starlight without the outside stars) and, for its second show of the season, producers Erin and Gary Lewis have chosen the San Diego premiere of Neil Bartrum (Music and Lyrics) and Brian Hill’s (Book) The Story of My Life staring Robert Townsend and Chad Borden.
While watching this lovely production, one can surmise many things about The Story of My Life. It’s either a love story, be it suppressed, between two young men or a valentine to best friends, or simply taken at face value the story of two guys who grew up together, played together as youngsters were ‘best friends’ but who went their separate ways for reasons you may or may not discover in the play.
It’s a poignant and bittersweet musical story about friendship, love and a circle of emotions centering on love and the guilt associated with being a best friend (and perhaps not living up to certain expectations) over a period of 30 years, as seen through the eyes and retold from the best of Thomas Weaver’s (Robert Townsend) memory along with a little help from his friend, Alvin.
When Thomas is called back from one of his many absences from his hometown to write a eulogy about his best friend, he gets slightly paralyzed with writer’s block. Each time he sets out to write something he ends up crumpling the paper in frustration.
What starts out to be the eulogy becomes the story of their friendship, chapter by chapter, as they grew together and apart, what they did in school, how they played and where the friendship veered off.
Here’s what we do know. Thomas left his hometown after high school to attend college ultimately becoming a best selling, award-winning author. During that time, his buddy Alvin Kelby (Chad Borden) stayed behind to take over his father’s bookstore business. Thomas had made a point to visit the homestead during many of the Christmas holidays.
What we don’t know and it is never explained is any real information about the why’s and how’s of what made them tick and kept their friendship alive for all those years. Did they have anything in common besides snow angels? Why did Alvin stay behind and tend for the bookstore, why did Thomas never marry and what did Thomas really feel for Alvin?
Even though the two remained friends over the years, their friendship cooled as Thomas traveled with his successful career while Alvin enjoyed the fruits of his friend’s career from afar, yet always encouraging him to do more. Unfortunately for Alvin however, Thomas never really understood or paid close attention to his friend “I Didn’t See Alvin.” Was he as happy as he seemed when they got together? We will never know.
The turning point comes, it seems, when Thomas confesses to Alvin that he might not be able to make it home that following Christmas for them to ‘make snow angles’ (something they did every year as young boys and into their adult lives) because he was engaged to be married. Alvin is crushed. The next time we see Thomas, he’s preparing a eulogy.
What happens from the time Thomas comes back to the day of the funeral is framed within the confines of no less than sixteen musical numbers that pretty much describe the story of (‘my’) Thomas’ life sung from the heart by the very, very talented Robert Townsend (he won the L.A. Ovation Award for his performance as Thomas) and Chad Borden.
From Alvin’s insistent “Write What You Know” to Thomas’ last full realization about how important ‘making angels in the snow’ was to Alvin (“Angels In The Snow”) the show pretty much breezes along with tidbits from their days in grammar school (“Mrs. Remington”) to Thomas leaving, his success as a writer, his coming back for visits and finally getting his act together to give the eulogy.
The Story Of My Life earned four Drama Desk Awards nominations for Outstanding Book, Lyrics, Music, and Musical. Unfortunately. It didn’t impress any in New York when it opened and closed just a quickly. Just recently back in Los Angeles, however, it did win the Ovation Award and became a critical and popular success there at the Havok Theatre Company.
Now in San Diego at the San Diego Repertory Theatre downtown under the direction of Nick DeGruccio (three time recipient of the L.A. Award for Direction) with musical direction by our own Don Le Master, eye catching lighting design by Steven Young and impressive scenic design by Tom Buderwitz The Story of My Life has local tongues wagging as a sensitive yet sentimental work pointing out the frailties of friendships making it worthy of a trip downtown. Bring tissues.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: Through Feb. 6th
Organization: San Diego Musical Theatre
Phone: 858-560-5740
Production Type: Musical
Where: 79 Horton Plaza San Diego, CA. 92101
Ticket Prices: $30.00-$60.00
Web: sdmt.org
Venue: Lyceum Theatre @ San Diego Repertory Downtown