Alex Yun, left, and Maureen Ballargeon Aurnand in a scene from “100 Saints You Should Know,” which runs through Sunday at the Schenectady Civic Playhouse.
Maureen Ballargeon Aurnand, as Colleen, and Alex Yun, as her son and a priest in a crisis of faith, are performing in Schenectady Civic Players' "100 Saints You Should Know."
Alex Yun, left, and Maureen Ballargeon Aurnand in a scene from “100 Saints You Should Know,” which runs through Sunday at the Schenectady Civic Playhouse.
Bill Kellert
Maureen Ballargeon Aurnand, as Colleen, and Alex Yun, as her son and a priest in a crisis of faith, are performing in Schenectady Civic Players' "100 Saints You Should Know."
Bill Kellert
Brigitta Rose, as Theresa, and Zurie Adams, as her daughter, Abby.
Kate Foder’s “100 Saints You Should Know” is a somewhat uneven story about five individuals.
The story focuses on Theresa, a 30-something single mother and cleaner at a church rectory. She meets Matthew, the priest who resides there, and they begin a conversation about prayer.
Theresa apparently has a newly discovered interest in learning how to pray. Why not ask the priest? He should be able to lead her on the path.
Sadly, Mathew is going through something of a crisis of faith, and it appears he is no longer able to pray.
The play has some funny scenes, a great deal of pathos and many moments that will leave you asking why: Why are some of the scenes so long and others — most of them — choppy? And while the exposition is there, the development of characters and plot seems to linger in the air.
Schenectady Civic Players Director Tony Pallone has opted to grapple with the story of faith and the search for answers from a higher level. The set is simple: Furniture rolls in and out as the scenes change, with one exception — a large set piece that looms over all the action. A monolithic structure covered with stained-glass-like pieces could be one of several things — a crucifix, God with outstretched arms or mankind itself.
Pallone has bolstered the production with a solid cast. Brigitta Rose as Theresa jumps into the character — her foibles and fears — with both feet. We experience the frustrations she has with her teenage daughter; where the path of her life has led her; and her ultimate desire to learn how to pray.
Father Matthew has returned home to his mother for a few weeks as he reassesses his life’s calling.
Alex Yun is one of three cast members making their Schenectady Civic Players debuts. Yun underplays the role and leaves much of the nuance of the character unexplored.
Maureen Ballargeon Aurnand is Colleen, Matthew’s mother. The Players vet does a wonderful job in the role. Her biting delivery brings a life to the stage whenever she is present.
Jake Huerter joins the pantheon of players as Garrett, the delivery boy around whom much of the action ultimately revolves. Huerter offers a somewhat uneven performance.
Zurie Adams is Abby, Theresa’s teenage daughter. The third performer making her Players’ bow, Adams captures the hearts of the audience. Her performance is riveting. Adams’ timing is spot-on, her comic delivery seamless and her transitions from humor to drama perfect. We can only hope we will be seeing more of Adams on local stages in the near future.
While not a perfect play, “100 Saints” does offer much to think about, such as the very existence of a higher power, how to communicate with them and the importance of communicating with the humans around you. While it might not offer many answers, the show certainly presents options — existential or otherwise — from which one can draw their own conclusions.
The production of “100 Saints You Should Know” runs through Sunday at the Schenectady Civic Playhouse, 12 South Church St. in Schenectady. For information or tickets, visit civicplayers.org or call 518-382-2081.
