LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE “PRIMARY TRUST” MORE LIKE A LEAP OF FAITH.

Eboni Booth’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Primary Trust” is now making it West Coast premiere at The La Jolla Playhouse through Oct. 20th in the Mandell Weiss Forum Theatre.  Coming from Roundabout Theatre company in New York (where Ashley will soon be headed) most of the scenery (all in miniature) is designed by Marsha Ginsberg and is also a product of Roundabout Theatre. Knud Adams directs the five person cast, some playing several roles.

Booth’s play is not in a hurry to go any place fast since it all starts in the fictitious town of Cranberry, New York, a medium sized suburb of Rochester, (population 15,000) and there it ends. “Welcome friends, You’re right on time” (Town’s motto). 

Caleb Eberhardt

At its center is 38 year old Kenneth (Caleb Eberhardt) a sensitive and broken man, lonely to a fault, yet who only comes alive when he’s with his best friend, Bert (James Udom). Kenneth’s favorite place on earth is Wally’s, an old tiki restaurant ‘that has carpets on the floors. Here, the two drink Mai Tai’s and talk nonstop. 

James Urbaniak, Caleb Eberhardt, James Udom

Kenneth has been working at the same book store for the past twenty years when suddenly the rug is pulled out from under him: Clay (James Urbaniak) the owner of the store informs Kenneth that he has sold the store and is moving to Arizona for health reasons. 

Kenneth is beside himself wondering what to do next when Corrina (Rebecca S’manga Frank) one of the servers at Wally’s suggests he apply at the local bank, Primary Trust, for a job. Both he and Bert rehearse the interview process and lo and behold, he gets the job…and is good at it!

Caleb Eberhardt, James Udom

New confidence? Trust in self? As the play ambles on and Kenneth gains some degree of trust, Bert encourages Ken to go out and meet new friends. This leads to a whole new ballgame that leads to leap of faith on both Kenneth and Bert’s lives and …well, best not to reveal the entire shebang except to say, so much of what’s happening on stage is going on in Kenneth’s head, including his best friend Bert, that when the play ends, almost where it started, one would have to be hard as nails not to recognize loneliness and fragility. 

If that’s the case; point well taken Ms. Booth. 

Caleb Eberhardt, Rebecca S’manga Frank

Suffice it to say, all our actors are excellent, oft times throwing out a bit of humor but for the most part do as well as can be expected in a play that moves as slow as a snail and is as  repetitive as this summers heat wave. 

As a side note, Booth adds another stage tool to her work; the musician on stage, Luke Wygodny, who wrote the original score, taps a bell every time there is a re start of the story making for a very long evening of stops and starts which I found pretty annoying. Without that element, the 95 min play would have run, oh well, wishful thinking on my part. 

Yours truly is not without her lonely times, where she is doubtful, uncertain or tentative and can empathize with Kenneth. “But for right now…for right now.” 

End of play!

See you at the theatre.

When:  Sept. 29 and runs through Oct. 20. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 1 and 7 p.m. Sundays

Where: La Jolla Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Forum Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, UC San Diego, La Jolla

Photo: Rich Soublet II

Tickets: $39-$94

Phone: (858) 550-1010

Online: lajollaplayhouse.org