Review: 'All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914'

WEST HARTFORD, CT - Playhouse on Park is presenting a film of the play All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by Peter Rothstein with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. The virtual production of the play will run Dec. 16 through Jan. 3, 2021

ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 is a play written by Peter Rothstein with musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. The Playhouse on Park production was directed by Sasha Brätt, with outstanding Music Direction by Benjamin Rauch.

The play is a remarkable true story from the Western Front. All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 relives an astounding moment in history; in a silence amid the combat, a soldier steps into no man’s land singing “Silent Night.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie between the Allied troops and German soldiers. They lay down their arms to celebrate the holiday, share food and drink, play soccer, and sing carols. This dramatic retelling weaves together firsthand accounts of World War I soldiers with patriotic tunes, trench songs, and Christmas carols.

Our piece [is] a radio musical drama, using only the tools of radio: music and text. The music ranges from trench songs to patriotic and sentimental tunes, as well as Christmas music from the participating countries. The text is taken from a wide range of sources including letters, journals, official war documents, poetry, gravestone inscriptions — even an old radio broadcast... To the thousands of men who changed history, thank you. May we do your story justice. – Playwright Peter Rothstein

I loved watching this play for a myriad of reasons. First was the amazing acapella singing by all of the male voices, all in tight harmonies and performed outside, no less. The setting of a field standing in for No Man’s Land could not have been more perfect; the parts of the story filmed in daylight and those (somehow) filmed at night looked amazing. The sound was flawless and so impressive considering it was all done outdoors; we didn’t miss a note or line in this visually stunning filming. The story of the Christmas truce, including what led up to it and what followed, is a riveting one and most historically accurate. The costumes of the actors added to the authenticity and each and every one of the actors and singers made me pay attention to the screen of my computer.

The cast is made up of three talented actors and a small chorus of amazing singers. Lu DeJesus appears as Actor 1 and played Connecticut Repertory Theatre: Beadle Bamford SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET at Connecticut Repertory Theatre at UConn. At Western CT State University, I saw him as Larry in COMPANY and Mitch Mahoney THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. Michael Hinton, who covers the roles of Actor 3, appeared in Playhouse on Park’s MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN and with the Elm Shakespeare Company and Ivoryton Playhouse. Niko Touros (Actor 2) was amazing as Usnavi IN THE HEIGHTS at Playhouse on Park.

Those talented singers include Kevin J. Anderson, Evan Benjamin, Matthew Bridgeman, Spencer Hamlin, Alex Hunt, Ryan Mancini, Michael McAvaney, Zach Reggio and Jermaine Woodard, Jr.

Kudos to both Director Sasha Brätt (THE REVISIONIST) and Music Director Benjamin Rauch, the latter on the Faculty at The Hartt School and directs the Hartt Choir and Chorale. Mr. Bratt is an Assistant Professor of Theater at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury.
The two did an outstanding job of staging the scenes in a socially distant manner and frankly it added to the overall experience for me. Although they would have made this piece work in the limited Playhouse space, the expansive setting that had to be used added so much to the realism.

Johann Fitzpatrick (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE) served as Technical Director, Scenic Designer, Lighting Designer Eileen Oconnnor (IN THE HEIGHTS, THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK) Properties and Set Dressing) Dialect Coach Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer has coached many Playhouse on Park productions, including A SHAYNA MAIDEL Jennifer teaches on the MFA and BFA programs at UConn and coaches for Connecticut Repertory Theatre.

Timothy C. Takach, who studied Music Theory and Composition at St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN wrote the Music and Erick Lichte did the inspired Vocal Arrangements for the men to perform.

From Playhouse on Park: This is a film of the play. This play was originally scheduled to be produced by Playhouse Theatre Group, Inc. live at Playhouse on Park. As a result of guidelines put forth by Governor Ned Lamont and out of concern for the safety of our staff, cast, and crew, the play was filmed outdoors without the presence of a live audience. All involved in the making of the film of this play were required to adhere to an extensive safety plan.

ALL IS CALM is unlike any play with music that I have ever seen and the stream worked very well on my desktop. In the hands of this inspired development team and the cast and crew, it is well-worth your time this holiday season. The running time of the show is 1 hour and 15 mins. Tickets & more info: https://playhouseonpark.org/.../mainstage_AllIsCalm.html

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions in a normal year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.