By Michele Markarian

“The Minutes” – Written by Tracy Letts. Directed by Scott Edmiston. Sound Design by James Cannon. Lighting Design by SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal. Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland. Costume Design by Bethany Mullins. Presented by The Umbrella Stage Company, 40 Stow Street, Concord, through March 24.

“Democracy’s messy,” says Mayor Superba (Steve Barkhimer) to his newest town council member, the young and eager to assimilate Mr. Peel (Ryan MacPherson). Mr. Peel is new to Big Cherry, having moved there for his wife, who grew up there. He is a “joiner,” signing up for various activities to gain a foothold in the community. His mother recently passed, causing him to miss the last council meeting for her funeral. When he returns, he discovers that Mr. Carp (Jeremiah Kissel), a man he’d been working with on a project, has disappeared, and none of the other council members will tell him what happened. Oddly enough, the minutes for the meeting have disappeared as well. Over the course of the ninety-minute play, we learn not only what happened to Mr. Carp but also the truth behind the town’s infamous battle of Mattie Creek and the hero’s journey that has been drilled into each citizen through the teachings of the church and school. 

Read more ““The Minutes” a Tragicomic Glimpse into the Nature of People and Power”

The Umbrella Stage Company presents ‘The Minutes’ by Tracy Letts. Directed by Scott Edmiston. Produced by Brian Boruta. Sound Design by James Cannon. Lighting Design by SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal. Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland. Costume Design by Bethany Mullins. Through March 24 at Umbrella Arts Center, Concord.

By Linda Chin

Part dark comedy, part political satire, part Hitchcockian mystery, every minute of Tracy Letts’ well-crafted ninety-minute play The Minutes is chock-full of intrigue, clever banter, and, until the final few minutes of the final scene – laugh-out-loud humor. Set in the small town of Big Cherry, USA, in the present day, audience members are flies on the walls of the architecturally majestic council chamber room lined with portraits of great white male mayors (scenic design by Janie E. Howland).

Read more “Umbrella’s ‘The Minutes’ Is Sheer Perfection”