'A Catered Affair' magnificent example of humandrama

"A Catered Affair" is neither splashy nor star−driven; it's not over−blown nor does it feature a superhero andmusic by U2. What is it? Magnificent. Extraordinary. A show that defines the real artistry and power oftheater: to move the heart and spirit in ways that no other medium can achieve.

Those who attended the packed house in the intimate quarters of the Farmers Alley Theatre in Kalamazoolast Friday night learned why theater is so special and why it has the power to emotionally enrich our livesunlike any other art form.

Longtime local favorites Joe Aiello and Scott Burkell understood the power of this show when seeing it onBroadway in 2008, which, coincidentally, starred another local favorite, Tom Wopat, in its short run. Writtenby Harvey Fierstein with music and lyrics by John Bucchino, Aiello and Burkell realized that "A CateredAffair" would play very well in Farmers Alley, which is dedicated to bringing professional theaterproductions to Kalamazoo. Three years later, the duo direct this production, reuniting with Barbara Marineau,one of Kalamazoo's greatest success stories, who has gone on to have a thriving Broadway career.

New York Critics dismissed "A Catered Affair" as "small," dooming it to a short run, but its only seasonreceived twelve Drama Desk Award nominations.

Set in 1953 in the Bronx, "A Catered Affair" tells a story that's only "small" if one measures with a lavishyardstick and places a premium on special effects. If one charts the course of the heart, the story's themes oflove, marriage, money and commitment are vast, deep and powerful.

Janey (Denene Mulay Koch), daughter of a cab−driver, and Ralph (Jeremy Koch), son of a wealthy NewYork real estate broker, decide to get married in a simple civil ceremony with only their four parents. Janey'sparents Tom (Joe Aiello) and Aggie (Barbara Marineau) accept their daughter's decision at first, but abereavement gift from their son killed in an unspecified service to the armed forces changes this acceptanceto a desire to do something nice for their daughter, for whom they "never gave nothing."

At first, the wedding plans help mother Aggie and daughter Janey bond and grow closer, but soon, plansspiral out of control with Ralph's parents (Tim Brown and Priscilla Swiat) inviting more than double theagreed−upon guests and lovable Uncle Winston adding more to the mix than just his signature floralarrangements. Conflict builds to a breaking point when Tom has to decline to buy out a share in his cab and truths of his marriage with Aggie are exposed.

Given the emotional power of the story as it unravels in the second act, it's difficult to imagine that the showremains light and features fun musical numbers, but it does. Managing to keep just enough humor to balancethe pathos of the family drama, the show tours a wide range of human emotions from joy to heartache, andmost of all, love.

Though the script is good, in lesser hands the show would not be nearly as magnificent. With powerfulperformances, stunning musical direction, professional technical work and brilliant stage direction, "ACatered Affair" flirts with masterpiece status, quite likely far better than the Broadway production thatinspired Aiello/Burkell to bring it to Kalamazoo.

The show unites married couple Denene Mulay Koch and Jeremy Koch on stage again. Though Jeremy Kochsees less stage time, he serves as a good counterpoint to his wife's performance. Once again, Denene MulayKoch proves that she is one of the area's top talents. Burkell shows why he's at his best in comic roles withcontrol and subtlety in his role of soon to come out of the closet Uncle Winston.

But the blockbuster work comes from Aiello and Marineau. If not for Marineau, Joe Aiello's "I Stayed" in thesecond act would be the showstopper. A consummate professional, Aiello acts the stuffing out of the role ofTom. Though not overshadowed by Barbara Marineau, her role takes a greater share of the stage and rightlyso.

Marineau is a brilliant actress, and in this role, she exceeds all expectations (which were already high).Marineau's homecoming to the city where she began her career provides enough reason to see this show.

Though space will not allow for everyone associated with this show to receive a mention, notables includemusical direction by Marie McColley Kerstetter, scenic design by W. Douglas Bickle, costumes by AmberMarisa Cook, and lighting by Lanford Potts.

Farmers Alley has added another weekend to its run of "A Catered Affair" to meet demand for tickets. Hurryand reserve seating before this bright flame that illustrates the true transformative power of theater goes dark.

Although more and more people are now living the single life, weddings remain the biggest theatrical event produced and performed by ordinary people. And often, the couple tying the knot are overly manipulated actors, while their parents (in league with pushy party planners) assume the roles of tyrannical directors, designers, marketers, menu planners and producers.

Aggie Hurley (in a fearless, altogether unforgettable portrayal by Rebecca Finnegan) is the fierce principal character in “A Catered Affair,” the 2008 Broadway musical by Harvey Fierstein (book) and John Buccino (music and lyrics) now in a heartwrenching Chicago debut by Porchlight Music Theatre. She is the mother of the bride who observes that the most important thing with a marriage is to “make a good start of it.” Her own wedding ceremony with Tom (Craig Spidle) was a rushed, unglamorous affair, and while the marriage has endured, it is largely joyless. So now she misguidedly hopes to compensate for this (and the favoritism she long showed to her son) by splurging on a big, unaffordable wedding for her daughter, Janey (a wonderfully natural, low-key turn by Kelly Davis Wilson), who wants nothing but a bare-bones City Hall ceremony.

Set in Brooklyn in 1953, “A Catered Affair” is an old-fashioned story (its source is a Paddy Chayevsky teleplay and a subsequent film from the era) about a money-strapped, working class Irish-Catholic family in the Bronx. It is easy to see why the show floundered on Broadway (it lacks any hint of spectacle). But this is precisely what makes it such a triumphant work for Porchlight, where, under Nick Bowling’s skilled direction (and music direction by Doug Peck), it more than compensates for flashy production numbers with intimacy, heart and deeply drawn human relationships.

Aggie and Tom have just returned from a memorial service for their son, who was killed in the Korean War, when Janey announces she is hurriedly marrying Ralph (Jim Deselm), a tenure-track teacher from a wealthier family, so they can honeymoon in California by delivering a friend’s car. Tom, who had hoped to buy out a partner in the taxicab he shares, watches as his life savings are promised to an ever larger, more lavish, conformity-driven, status-seeking wedding party. Meanwhile, Uncle Winston (Jerry O’Boyle), Aggie’s “bachelor” (i.e. “gay”) brother feels both ostracized and empowered by events.

Fierstein’s insistence on creating a subplot around Winston, clearly idevised as a cry for gay marriage, is misguided. It feels jarringly anachronistic in this quintessentially period piece, and at moments threatens to topple it. But Bucchino’s beguiling, emotion-filled score could not be more on point. And Finnegan — who leaves an indelible imprint on this role at every second — delivers a scorching version of “Our Only Daughter,” while Spidle belts out the fearsome anthem “I Stayed,” Wilson enchants with “One White Dress,” and O’Boyle nails “Immediate Family,” a song that says everything just as it would have been said in the 1950s.

The rest of the cast does well, with a superb (only partly visible) onstage orchestra conducted by Elizabeth Doran, an inspired beige-on-beige street scene and interior set design (complete with Romeo and Juliet-like balcony) by Brian Sidney Bembridge, and vintage Eisenhower-era costumes by Bill Morey.

This is a home-cooked rather than catered affair, and a most memorable meal.