Dr. Jamie Allen has a new patient. Ruby Tuesday was named by her ultra-cool hippie parents. Like her brother, she was adopted. She’s reluctantly agreed to see a psychologist because of an incident at work. Seems she climbed out on the ledge, to rescue a cat. Why would she do something so dangerous? That’s for Ruby to know, and Jamie to find out. Even though she insists on her reasoning, Dr. Jamie isn’t convinced. As he recovers bits and pieces, her story’s less and less plausible. And wouldn’t you know, Dr. Jamie goes gaga for Ruby. She may be loopy, but there’s something enchanting, other-worldly about her.
Dr. Ron Hook is Jamie’s mentor, counselor, and “dad”. Therapists seeking therapy from another therapist is not an uncommon. When Jamie confides he and Ruby have crossed an ethical boundary, Ron is understandably appalled. So is Ruby’s best friend, Bri. Both try to intervene, they’re not wrong. But Ruby and Jamie are smitten. In the midst of all this, Ruby has discovered she has an astonishing power. A secular miracle (if you will). It’s truly fantastic, but strains possibility.
Director James Prince has it nailed. The tone, the blocking, the timing. Unpredictable punchlines land quite nicely. Blackouts fall neither early nor late. Performances are amusing, compelling, and balanced. For his part, playwright Mike Byham, has written sophisticated, well-developed characters, without resorting to tropes. His dialogue feels natural rather than fabricated. The plot organic and effective. David Huner (Dr. Jamie Allen) shifts from pragmatic to starry-eyed rather deftly. Jennifer Nachazel (Ruby Tuesday) mixes eccentricity with eclat. She’s playful yet grounded. Julie Richardson (Bri McKay) looks out for her closest friend, protective but firm. Tony Magee (Dr. Ron Hook) is relaxed, thoughtful, intelligent. His own, unique interpretation. He doesn’t emulate Freud, Jung or Frasier.
Playwright Mike Byham has conceived a crackerjack comedy that explores important (perhaps crucial) questions about our shared and dubious humanity. The nature of the metaphysical and how we partake. Some of the best plays leave key questions unanswered. Agnes of God, The Rainmaker, The Man from Atlanta. If we yearn for the answer, we must decided for ourselves. Ruby Tuesday blurs the line between the fanciful and plausible. For those of you unfamiliar, there’s a legendary column wherein a little girl named Virginia writes to the Editor of The Sun. Her father tell her: If it’s in the Sun, it’s so. Virginia asks: Is there really a Santa Claus? The editor answers with detailed explanation. He exists if we believe he does. If we all agree, essentially, it’s true. We act on it. We celebrate it. Perhaps that’s all it takes. Ruby Tuesday is consummately entertaining. Tickling, intriguing, authentic.
The Core Theatre presents Mike Byham’s Ruby Tuesday, playing June 26th -July 19th, 2026.518 West Arapaho Road, Suite 115, Richardson, Texas, 75080. thecoretheatre.org (214) 930-5338. james@corethetre.org