Seventeen-year-old Ernestine is ready to take on the world as soon as she finishes helping her mother bake her birthday cake.
“I am a rebel against the universe. I will wage war with the everyday. I am going to surprise God!” she declares.
But life will intervene and Ernestine will spend the next 90 years in that same Grand Rapids, Michigan, kitchen baking that same cake for herself as comedy and tragedy weave through her life.
Penobscot Theatre Company opened its 51st season Saturday with an eye-popping and heartwarming production of “Birthday Candles.” Theatergoers will see snippets of themselves and their families in Ernestine and her family members in what is, despite some tribulations, a joyous, feel-good show.
The play, written by Noah Haidle, who grew up in Grand Rapids, was first produced in 2018 in Detroit. It was headed to Broadway in early 2020 when the pandemic intervened. “Birthday Candles” finally made it to the Great White Way two years later with Debra Messing of “Will and Grace” fame in the lead.
Director Kathryn Markey, who is the artistic director of Opera House Arts in Stonington, hurls her cast of six, with some actors playing multiple roles, through those nine decades in 90 fast-paced minutes. Markey stresses the humanity of her characters and the universality of what they experience — love, birth, loss, self-discovery and death.
AJ Mooney, who’s shone in PTC’s productions of “August Osage County,” “The Graduate” and “The Full Monty” is Ernestine. While the character ages emotionally, Mooney does not age much physically as some other characters do. She emphasizes Ernestine’s love-of-life spirit and the grit of a determined survivor.
Mooney is on stage for the entire show and must mix together the ingredients to bake a cake on the set in real time. She gives a tour-de-force performance that is raw, funny, sad and inspiring. Mooney wears Ernestine as comfortably as the character dons her mother’s apron. It is a joy to see and experience.
New to the PTC stage is Daniel Robert Sullivan, who portrays Ernestine’s husband, Matt, and a grandson in later scenes. Sullivan, who splits his time between Maine and New York, spent the past four years touring with the musical “Dear Evan Hansen.” Prior to that, he performed in “Jersey Boys” more than 1,000 times in Las Vegas, Toronto and other cities.
Sullivan is equally adept at portraying a teenager, a middle-aged philanderer and an elderly man in failing health. He and Moody connect in a way that shows the audience the intimacy and the detachment this couple experiences over the years. Together, these actors dance in a verbal and emotional tango that feels oh so very real.
As next-door-neighbor Kenneth, who loves Ernestine from afar, Ben Layman offers up much of the play’s comedy in a fine performance. He is a steadfast friend and foil for his childhood friend and eventually convinces Ernestine to dance with him and fulfill her dream of taking on the world.
Stephanie Colavito, Aimee Gerow and Daniel Skinner expertly portray multiple roles across generations. Each actor makes every character distinct but convinces the audience they all are part of the same family.
The set design by Jess Ploszaj and lighting design by Tony Gerow literally sparkle and glow, filling the theater with welcoming warmth. Alexis Foster’s costumes and Neil E. Graham’s sound design give dimension and resonance to the story.
Theatergoers who were unhappy with and/or confused by “Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play” last season will find many ways to connect with “Birthday Candles.” It is a wonderful story of a family that will feel familiar to audiences. It should not be missed.
During the run of “Birthday Candles” through Oct. 6, the theater will collect boxed cake mixes, pre-made frosting, candles and cash donations as part of Dorian “D-Max” Pillsbury’s campaign to make sure everyone can celebrate their birthday with a cake. So far, the 12-year-old Brewer boy has collected 400 cake mixes, according to a local radio station. All items will be donated to local food pantries at the end of the run, PTC said in a Facebook post. Items may be dropped off during box office hours or before performances.
Penobscot Theatre Company’s production of “Birthday Candles” will be performed through Oct. 6 at the Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. For more information, call 207-942-3333 or visit penobscottheatre.org.
