“Ordinary Days? More Like Extraordinary Days at the Masquerade Theatre in Conjunction with Herrick Theatricals!”

by M. Smith

When you think of someone you have met in your life, does a part of you ever think about how fate plays a role in bringing you two together?  How if you hadn’t done a specific thing or been at a specific place at a specific time you wouldn’t have met them? Well, Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon explores just those types of connections at Masquerade Theatre in conjunction with Herrick Theatricals! The story explores the separate lives of 4 people in New York and how they connect in mysterious and beautiful ways. This was my first time seeing this production, and it was truly a delightful experience. When you enter the space, you get to witness the artistry that Scenic Artist Georgia DeFrank brings in their New York City skyline that they hand painted to bring the space alive. Furthermore, the Lighting Design by Tommy Balne adds a magnificent accentuation to the space, and transforms the space in all the necessary ways. Finally, the direction by Megan Knowlton Balne truly shines in this production as the staging of this production is remarkable. With this production being in the round, each seat gets a different viewing experience that adds more nuance to each moment that this cast and director bring to the space. From the fantastic cast that makes up this 4-character production to the production crew that helped to bring this world to life, this has easily been one of my favorite shows that I have seen this year. With a heartfelt story filled with powerful moments and songs, this cast truly delivered an experience to behold that you should all make sure to come see!

Ordinary Days opens with the song “One by One by One” where we meet Warren (played by Brian Herrick) as he is handing out inspirational flyers to anyone who will take one. While no one is taking a flyer, Warren is persistent in trying to spread the words and joy that may connect someone with their “big picture” moment. Warren is simply someone who is interested in the beauty behind the bigger picture and finding joy in the simpler things in life. With his optimistic attitude, Warren finds other’s stories fascinating and one day hopes to be a part of his own beautiful story. Herrick brings this beautiful character to life in numerous ways throughout this production, and truly brings a depth to this character in every moment they are on stage. As Warren is a character who represents the hope in people as well as dreaming of having that beautiful fairy tale moment, Herrick accentuates this throughout his depiction of this character in songs like “Life Story” with the remarkable vocals that are needed for this role. This song truly showcases how Warren is someone who is still waiting to find his big picture after seeing so many others find theirs. In Herrick’s rendition of this role, he truly brings the fact that Warren seems like someone who feels like a side character to their own life story. Herrick pairs comedic moments with more serious conversations surrounding outlooks on life in a perfect harmony. 

In our opening scene, we also meet the character of Deb (played by Rachel Grodek) who is the only person who we see actually take one of Warren’s flyers. Deb is a graduate student who is pursuing her thesis on Virginia Woolf, all a part of her dream to leave her small town in the middle of nowhere and achieve her goal of writing a book. With the perfect mix of witty and cynical, Grodek brings a lightness and comedy to this role that kept the entire audience laughing throughout this production. Where Warren is someone who is constantly open to the ideas of whatever his big picture could be, Deb is someone who knows exactly what she wants her big picture to look like and strives to achieve just that. In songs like “Don’t Wanna Be Here” and “Calm”, audiences get to listen to Grodek’s beautiful vocals while also getting to gather a deeper dive into Deb’s character. In these songs, we see the immense pressure that is self-imposed on Deb to find her way towards her strict goal, without the allowance for her big picture to change as she goes through life. In this role, Grodek truly shines and they bring a liveliness to this character that keeps the audience engaged throughout the production. 

Alongside getting a peek into Deb and Warren’s life, we are shifted into a different kind of connection with the character of Jason (played by Andy Boetcher) who we meet as he moves into his girlfriend’s apartment in the song “The Space Between”. This is the audience’s introduction into the romantic type of person that Jason is as he pushes to take his relationship to further levels. In this relationship, we see how Jason is attempting to lessen the space that he feels is growing in distance between him and his girlfriend. Boetcher brings these same emotions to the forefront of their performance in impactful ways throughout the production. In songs like “Hundred-Story City” where we see how much Jason’s connection with his girlfriend Claire means to him, Boetcher brings this same energy that is needed for this song that makes it so beautiful. In this song we hear about how in the city Claire is the only one he truly wants to see and be with, and how his love for her is one that spans the ages. Boetcher brings this same energy into their performance of Jason in an amazing combination of vocals and the hopeless romantic that makes Jason’s character in this production. As a character that is someone who is focused on his connection and strengthening his relationship with Claire, Jason’s role requires strong acting beats and a romanticism that Boetcher brings through and through his performance!

Finally, we come to the character Claire (played by Jennie Santiago) who we are initially introduced to as Jason’s girlfriend right after the song “The Space Between”. In her introduction song “Let Things Go,” audiences are able to see how Claire is someone who is holding something back and connected with the sentimental things that she has. For this character, it is important for Claire’s story to showcase this holding back, holding onto sentimental value, and the appreciation of the simpler things, and Santiago brings all of that and more in their performance. At the beginning of this show, we see Claire struggle with the closeness between her and Jason, and how there are little things that they differ between that lead to moments of tension like in the song “Fine”. Santiago brings the perfect balance to this reminiscence and tension to their performance, truly showcasing the suffocating feeling that Claire feels throughout this show as she reconciles her past with her current relationship. In songs like “I’ll Be Here,” audiences get to understand just what Claire is holding back, and Santiago brings the emotional nature that is key to this heart wrenching song. With the perfect mix of phenomenal acting and incredible vocals, Santiago brings a beautiful performance to the stage that is necessary for the character of Claire. 

In a story that is all about connections finding you, the connection that these actors bring to the stage is nothing short of perfection! As we see everyone starting in their individual lives, we see Boetcher, Grodek, Herrick, and Santiago all take on a beautiful metamorphosis on stage as they start to intertwine with each other’s story lines. For Herrick and Grodek, we see their characters grow from total strangers to close friends all because of a lost notebook. Both Herrick and Grodek take the audience on a journey with them as their friendship unfolds and it is a magnificent display on the stage. Meanwhile Boetcher and Santiago show the shifting in a relationship that has already been established but is shifting continuously. We see Boetcher and Santiago start the show as a couple that is growing apart, but then see how these two actors beautifully portray the growing shift as their relationship faces strain but their continuous support of each other grows into something strong. In this production, Boetcher and Santiago truly portray a beautiful story of finding comfort with your person and being able to face your past. At the end of the production, there is a beautiful moment where all of these characters have an unexpected connection, which culminates into a stunning moment during the song “Rooftop Duet/Falling”.  The theme of connection is strong within this production, and this cast is one that brings that theme to every aspect of their performance in magnificent ways. 

Alongside a great cast to bring this story to life, I would be remiss to not give this same praise to the fantastic production team that goes into putting on a production like this. First, the vocals in this show alone are stunning to behold, which leads to the recognition of the talented music director Kristy Joe Slough, who worked to instill a beautiful vocal experience for audiences. From the riffs, to the belts, and everything in between, the vocal direction in this show as well as the immense vocal talent of this cast combines together to become one of the strongest vocal performances I have seen. These vocals pair well to the accompaniment stylings of pianist Chris Weed, who is the driving instrumental force behind this production. The piano stylings of Weed add tremendous ambience to the show and accentuate the songs in a perfect harmony. With these combined vocals and instrumentation, this is a production that sounds like no other that you won’t want to miss!

So, if it wasn’t clear from the beginning, it is safe to say that this is an absolutely stunning production that you need to come see! If you are looking for a production that is filled with stunning vocals and talent that is overflowing with this cast, then make your way to the Masquerade Theatre this weekend! Ordinary Days is running from now until June 15;  runs  Fridays (06/13) at 8:00 PM, Saturdays (06/14) at 2:00 PM, Saturdays (06/14) at 8:00 PM, and Sundays (06/15) at 2:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased here or at the link below!  https://www.simpletix.com/e/ordinary-days-tickets-209227