Detroit Rep Plunges Into New Season With 'Buzz'

By John Quinn

For good luck at a wedding, the bride assembles "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue." The must be true, too, to assure good luck for an evening of classy comedy.
Something old would be the Detroit Repertory Theatre, the oldest alternative professional theater in Michigan. The "new" is Michiganian playwright Richard Strand's "Buzz," receiving its world premiere. Leah Smith, director of development for the Rep and stage manager for "Buzz," "borrows" artistic director Bruce E. Millan's iconic curtain speech, but that's a fitting homage as well as being practical. Except for a few off-color epithets, though, the only blue around is the title character's shirt. "Blue," as in "sad," won't be found at all.
It would seem that Ryan Hutchings (Wayne David Parker), CEO of Hutchings Enterprises Inc., is nefariously trying to duck an expensive workman compensation lawsuit by trying to find a possible witness to his employee's accident. Once he settles on a stock clerk, Buzz Gunderson (Dan Johnson), as his witness of choice, we find that Hutchings' offer of a sizable bribe in exchange for scripted testimony will also preserve a dark, mean secret. It's obvious before we even meet Buzz that the witless slacker is the wrong guy for the job. Our opinion won't change but our reasoning will, as Strand peels away each layer of his elegantly structured plot.
"Buzz" is a celebration of rapid repartee; Parker and Johnson function like a classic vaudeville team. It is appealing to discover how timing and inflection can enhance even the best written lines. Harry Wetzel, the Rep's man for all reasons, both directs "Buzz" and designed the expansive set, thus being doubly responsible for the easy flow of the production.
And although the bulk of the plot revolves around the unstable relations between the guys, Rita Montpetit Liegl and Kennikki Jones-Jones, each making her first appearance with the Rep, create memorable characters who are determined to undermine Ryan Hutchings schemes. Liegl plays Alyson Schrum, the buttoned-down, no-nonsense company board member who won't accept Hutchings' account without investigation. Alyson Schrum, at least, has lines; as the accident victim Shirley Greenberg, Kennikki Jones-Jones is mute. Shirley might have suffered brain damage in her fall from the loading dock and has difficulty communicating – which aids in Hutchings plan to sweep the whole affair under the rug. But even though Jones-Jones' face is largely obscured by bandages, she efficiently creates the image of a woman wronged largely by body language.
"Buzz" satisfies on many levels. It's a thoroughly original piece marked by crisp writing, seasoned by biting wit. It's presented by artists who clearly understand the fundamentals of comedy and ably employ them to best effect.
But perhaps the most satisfying element of this production is that it marks the beginning of the 58th season for the Detroit Rep. In an industry where companies have lifespans comparable to mayflies, it's good to reflect on the stability afforded by a proven winner.

REVIEW:
'Buzz'
Detroit Repertory Theatre
13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit
8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, 20, Dec. 4, 11, 18
8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, 21, 28, Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26
3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, 29, Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, 22, 29, Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27
2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, 23, 30, Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28
2 hours 20 minutes
$17-20; $75 Black Tie Event on Nov. 15
313-868-1347
http://www.detroitreptheatre.com