The year is 1965 and Jim Quinn has crossed the radar of Carl Schmitt the President of an exclusive boy’s school in New Hampshire. Jim is being interviewed and Schmitt is asking about Jim’s colorful past. Jim is frank and forthright, even when his motives seem inexplicable, even to him.Schmitt is dubious but Jim’s mind when it comes to writing, literature and right-brain thinking is beyond impressive. He is fully engaged with the writing of brilliant authors and seminal philosophers and not afraid to question their reasoning.
Jim is a live wire, he writes provocative poetry, punches the younger boys, steals a record collection, more or less as a prank. He shares on and on with his roommate, Austin, until late at night. None of this is atypical of teenage boys, especially when they get together. Jim is constantly acting out. The difference is the other guys have better impulse control. He sees the validity in everything he does, and dismisses objection as misunderstanding. He doesn’t care what others think, and he’s too rebellious for his own good. His need to be true to himself collides with succeeding in academics. And he doesn’t see why it should.
Prodigal Son is John Patrick Shanley’s autobiographical reflection on his struggles to balance between what made him like no other, and his remarkable cerebral skills. What makes us unique can often conceal our best qualities. Each character can see his better qualities, but whether Jim’s future can be salvaged is an ongoing debate between Schmitt and Alan Hoffman, his English teacher. Like Prometheus, Jim carries the gift of fire to humanity, juggling the astonishing and the catastrophic.
The Second Chance Players staged Prodigal Son at Kitchen Dog’s new theater on 4774 Algiers. Director Caleb Ross and his intrepid cast: Jacob Waters (Jim Quinn) Hunter Howard (Alan Hoffman) Jeffrey Miller (Carl Schmitt) Stephanie Stark (Louise Schmitt) Patrick Britton (Austin Schmitt) mounted this somber, wrenching drama about will and will not be forgotten. I’m pretty sure Socrates was into Ding Dong Ditch. The performances here are understated with a minimum of histrionics. Perfect for the content. Caleb Ross carried this dream project with him for a very long time. The result is poignant and unforgettable.
Watch this space for Second Chance Players future productions.
Second Chance Players presented Prodigal Son. It closed on Sunday May 10th.
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