Burbage Theatre Co premieres Lynn Nottage’s two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Clyde’s, directed by Burbage’s founding artistic director, Jeff Church. A truck stop sandwich shop offers its formerly incarcerated kitchen staff a shot at redemption. Even as the shop’s callous owner tries to keep them down, the staff members learn to reclaim their lives, find purpose, and become inspired to dream by their shared quest to create the ultimate sandwich — their ticket out of this hell and into success.
“Clyde’s is one of my favorite plays of the last 10 years — a profoundly joyous, irreverent comedy on serious matters,” says Church. “I cannot express how lucky we are to be able to produce it on our stage. It does what the best theatre does: It reveals new perspectives and sharpens them, elicits empathy and hope, and speaks directly to the world we are living in now. It is about tiptoeing through American systems of oppression, and those missteps that carry the direst consequences. It is, unmistakably, a play about both the passionate pursuit of redemption and of the perfect sandwich. Lynn Nottage has long been a clear-eyed champion of the working class, and Clyde’s continues that theme with humor, urgency, and compassion.”
This production is as poignant as it is comical, and you can always count on Burbage for stellar acting to imaginatively manage the highs and lows. MJ Daly portrays Clyde, one badass businesswoman. She’s been to Hell and back, and can shred you with a look. Herself a felon, she hires other rogues to make the sandwiches, ruthlessly reminding them at every turn that their fate is in her hands. Jason Quinn as Montrellous has a gift for creating mouth-watering masterpieces, misplaced in the red diner baskets like diamonds in the rough. His vision could take the shop to new heights, if only Clyde would allow it.
Ashley Aldarondo passionately portrays a mean Letitia — a feisty, tell-it-like-it-is, single mom with a hard shell, but a soft heart. Arturo Puentes as Rafael is a bundle of nervous energy, a joy to watch whether he’s dancing, cursing, or crashing. James Lucey is Jason, who calls himself selfish, but has a pure soul. They all just want to get by, but for now, Clyde owns them and she fully employs it. Clyde’s abuse is hard to digest, but they must survive it long enough to realize their individual dreams. The cast gels in their shared angst and amusement.
Set design by Trevor Elliott nails the atmospheric scenography. From the audience’s perspective, you truly feel as though you’re in a diner’s kitchen observing the interaction. From the rusted walls to the bread boxes, every little detail was thought out, every necessity present (ATD/props by Brittany Costello). Dramatic lighting shifts indicate scene changes. Lighting design by technical director Andrew Iacovelli is symbiotically aligned to the sounds. A bell rings as Montrellis presents his latest concoction, and the others salivate like Pavlov’s dogs. The lighting shifts, reflecting the magical allure, and a hypnotic alien humming thumps as they stare, frozen, each time, at what just may be the most supreme sandwich. The surprise sizzling ending seals everything, wrapping that basket right up.
“We are thrilled to bring together a cast that includes both Burbage regulars and new collaborators, alongside a production team ready to transform the Wendy Overly Theatre into the kitchen scene of sandwich heaven. I challenge anyone not to root for the formerly incarcerated employees of Clyde’s truck stop. Not to hope — fiercely — that they find their footing. Not to feel a sudden passion accompanied by a watering mouth at the sandwiches they’re slinging. Don’t miss it!”
Burbage Theatre Co’s production of Clyde’s closes April 12. For more information, visit burbagetheatre.org.