By Mimi Pollack
SAN DIEGO — A Long Way to Midnight is a work in progress, looking for producers to bring it to life as a staged production. On Thursday evening, July 12, I attended a first reading at the Community Actor’s Theatre. Because it was a first reading, it was like a rough first cut. The actors played various roles with just chairs, a few props, and pre-taped music. However, this play/musical, music and lyrics all written by the very talented Jonathan Rosenberg, has real potential.
Rosenberg worked for 37 years as a teacher of severely emotionally disturbed adolescents. He also worked for six years for KPBS, producing music and pop culture features in San Diego. Since 1999, he has been the lead singer in two rock and roll bands, and has had original songs performed by those bands. This is his first musical.
The story is about Michael, an ordinary middle-aged man, and part of the “sandwich generation”. He is caught between his 80-something Jewish mother, who lives alone in New York; his unhappy second wife, and confused 10-year-old daughter who is tired of being batted back and forth between her parents. His wife is a high powered real estate executive who is disappointed Michael cannot provide for her the type of life she wants.
Michael is a psychiatrist who is torn between a career he really does not want and the rock band he has been with for 20 years, and longs to tour with. The band members are becoming impatient with Michael’s inability to fully commit to them and his music career.
A high school reunion beckons him back to New York where he stays with his mother who loves him dearly, but also spends her whole time criticizing him for not being the person she thinks he should be. He also has a renewed connection with his first wife, who now has a daughter of her own.
Michael realizes that she really has always been his one true love. All of this comes to a head when Michael mother’s suddenly dies. He is now divorced from his second wife who has become increasingly unstable. He realizes that he has to follow his dream and make his life right. He gets full custody of his daughter, gets back together with his first wife, and decides to commit to the band, going with them on tour in England.
This play, although a little too long, was engaging. Rosenberg rounded up some talented actors and singers who played their roles very well. Danny Ingersoll as Michael was quite good as was Debbie David as the second wife and Kate Hewitt as the mother. Kaia Leibo was darling as the 10-year-old daughter. Kaly McKenna as the first wife had a more subdued part, but did it well. The band members, who included Rosenberg himself, Jim Ellis, and John Matsch, all sang with gusto.
The music was catchy and many of the lyrics were quite clever. I especially liked the rock and roll songs. I did not like the ballads as well. The singing was sometimes off key, but that was to be expected in this first reading. I thought Ingersoll had real potential in this role. In fact, once all the rough edges are smoothed over, this play/musical itself will have legs.
I hope they find the needed producers and bring this piece to life on a larger stage, making Rosenberg’s dream a reality. One can clearly see his talent and all the hard work he put into making it come true.
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Pollack is a freelance writer based in San Diego She may be contacted at mimi.pollack@sdjewishworld.com