• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Event Calendar
    • Submit Event
  • About Us
    • Our Contributors
    • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Arts & Entertainment
    • Comedy
    • On Screen Dayton
    • On Screen Dayton Reviews
    • Road Trippin’
      • Cincinnati
      • Columbus
      • Indianapolis
    • Spectator Sports
    • Street-Level Art
    • Visual Arts
  • Dayton Dining
    • DMM’s Brunch Guide
    • Restaurants with Private Dining Rooms
    • Dayton Food Trucks
    • Quest
    • Ten Questions
  • Dayton Music
    • Music Calendar
  • On Stage Dayton
    • On Stage Dayton Reviews
  • Active Living
    • Canoeing/Kayaking
    • Cycling
    • Hiking/Backpacking
    • Runners
  • How to Support Dayton Businesses, Nonprofits During COVID-19

Dayton Most Metro

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Attempting Closure In the Midst of Despair

June 3, 2011 By Russell Florence, Jr. Leave a Comment

Jamie Cordes and Maria Couch in right next to me

Composer Gregg Coffin, familiar to local musical theater aficionados for his masterful portrait of a fractured family (“Convenience”) and zany dose of musically flavorful romance (“Five Course Love”), is in the spotlight once more as the Human Race Theatre Company presents the regional premiere of his genuinely affecting, sung-through opus “right next to me,” a poignant, solemn and timely musical about love, loss and acceptance that in some respects feels as if it’s still a work in progress.

Since its 2009 Human Race workshop, “right next to me” underwent major rewrites resulting in a more succinct vision. It has smoothly advanced from a tale of three interweaving storylines to one that specifically focuses on the depressed, heartbroken Jen (Maria Couch), a widow struggling to move forward a year after her husband, Marine Major David Marshall (Jamie Cordes), was killed in Iraq. With the help of her brother-in-law, Marine Captain Michael Marshall (Jim Poulos), Jen is ultimately able to assess and endearingly reflect on the past and her current state of transition as she joins Michael in scattering David’s ashes at a variety of meaningful places per his request such as a sledding hill, a trestle bridge and an amusement park.

Oddly, the first and second scenes are slow, confusing and musically unexciting. Jen’s loyal friend Trish Holmes (Dana Mierlak) particularly opens the show with a bundle of energy, but there isn’t a clear indication of who she is or why she is an important presence. It is understandable Jen would need someone to confide in, but Trish, a busy supermom, is presently underdeveloped to the point of being superfluous. Mierlak, a fine vocalist, tries to inject depth into the role but her forced efforts, including her comedic timing, fall short under the otherwise fluidly focused direction of Melissa Rain Anderson.

Still, Jen and David’s appealingly surreal exchanges, a series of well-conceived flashbacks and the impactful journey of reconciliation between Jen and Michael evolving from rocky discord to tender hopefulness keep the action emotionally resonant while providing an assortment of tuneful pluses. Coffin, responsible for the expert orchestrations, admirably infuses evocative Middle Eastern inflections into the pop/ballad-friendly score for some of David’s Iraq-inspired numbers, solidly interpreted by Cordes in one of his most striking portrayals. Couch, a naturally emotive actress very compatible with Cordes throughout, especially in the delightful “Two Chilly People,” brings Act 1 to a tear-jerking finish with a beautifully pensive rendition of “I Can’t Believe You’re Gone,” a plaintive anthem detailing Jen’s shell-shocked existence. Poulos, so marvelous in “Convenience” opposite Anderson, equally shines, fully conveying Michael’s conflicted nature and bringing heartfelt sincerity to his desire to follow David’s example and become a better man. He also winningly sings the Billy Joel-esque “Confirm/Deny” and terrific title number, a quietly captivating song that deserves a reprise by Jen in the final scene.

Despite conceptual shortcomings, “right next to me” is one of the most engaging new works of the season. It certainly has the potential to be catapulted from decent to dynamic.

right next to me, which opened Friday, May 27, continues through Sunday, June 12 at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main St. Performances are Wednesday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. There will be special 7 p.m. performances Sunday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 7. Act One: 73 minutes; Act Two: 40 minutes. The Friday, June 3 performance has been designated ‘Blue Star Mothers Night’ in which $10 from each adult single ticket purchase will be donated to the Dayton Chapter of Blue Star Mothers, an organization supporting military personnel and families. In addition, there will be a post-show talkback following the Sunday, June 5 matinee moderated by Human Race marketing director Leigh Allan and featuring composer Gregg Coffin. Before the June 7 performance, the Lite Fare at The Loft event, offering gourmet sandwiches and desserts for patrons in the Loft lobby courtesy of Citilites, will begin at 5:30 p.m. For tickets or additional information, call (937) 228-3630 or visit www.humanracetheatre.org.

In related news, the Human Race’s 2011 Festival of New Musicals will be held August 5-7 at the Loft Theatre. This year’s selections are Love Makes the World Go ’Round: The Songs of Bob Merrill, Pump Up the Volume (presented by Encore Theater Company and based on the 1990 film of the same name) and Play It Cool.

Filed Under: On Stage Dayton Reviews

About Russell Florence, Jr.

Russell Florence, Jr. is a member of The American Theatre Critics Association and The Drama League. In addition to his role as arts and culture editor of Dayton City Paper and theater critic for Dayton City Paper and Impact Weekly, he served as a Dayton Daily News freelance writer and editorial page contributor. He has also written features for such theater publications as Spotlight Ohio and The Sondheim Review. Over the past 25 years, he has seen over 1,000 shows locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally encompassing New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Toronto, Madrid, and Rome among other destinations.

Reader Interactions


Comments

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Featured Events

  • Mon
    18
  • Tue
    19
  • Wed
    20
  • Thu
    21
  • Fri
    22
  • Sat
    23
  • Sun
    24

25% off Pizza Monday

11:30 am | Oregon Express

Open Mic Monday

6:30 pm | The Barrel

The Road to Effective Estate Planning

7:00 pm | Virtual Event

Monday Night Acoustic MAYHEM

7:30 pm | Good Time Charlie’s

Leadership Dayton Class of 2022 Information Breakfast

8:30 am | Virtual Event

2nd Annual Ice Breaker Fest

4:00 pm | Fifth Street Brewpub

Spaghetti Tuesday

5:00 pm | The Trolley Stop

Burger Night

5:00 pm | Watermark

Jazz with Gail and Larry

5:00 pm | Spirited Goat Coffee House

Tuesday Trivia

7:00 pm | The Dublin Pub

Jan Story Slam

7:00 pm | ZOOM

2nd Annual Ice Breaker Fest

4:00 pm | Fifth Street Brewpub

Trivia w/ DagaTrivia

6:00 pm | Eudora Brewing Company

Wednesday Trivia

6:30 pm | Troll Pub at the Wheelhouse

Open Mic with Blues Breakdown Band

7:00 pm | Hank’s Local

Gem City Market Walking Warriors

7:00 pm | Gem City Market

Wednesday Night Trivia w/ Dan Profitt

7:00 pm | Oinkadoodlemoo & Brew

Marvel Cinematic Universe Trivia

7:00 pm | Toxic Brew Company

2nd Annual Ice Breaker Fest

4:00 pm | Fifth Street Brewpub

Know Your Knots 101

6:00 pm | online

January Salon, Featuring Katie Clark Gabbard

6:00 pm | ZOOM

Jenna Drees Live Music in the Loft

7:00 pm | Moeller Brew Barn

Bingo

8:00 pm | Trolley Stop

2nd Annual Ice Breaker Fest

4:00 pm | Fifth Street Brewpub

Tinned Gourmet Seafoods Tasting Event

5:00 pm | Salt Block Biscuit Company

Latin Dance Party

5:30 pm | The Salvation Army Kroc Center

Route 88

6:30 pm | Mr Boro’s Tavern

Clayton Anderson with Jacob William

7:00 pm | JD Legends Entertainment Complex

Music Bingo!

7:00 pm | Devil Wind Brewing

Derik Zoo

8:00 pm | Wiley’s Comedy Club

Cooking Class: Three Kings’ Day: A Puerto Rican Celebration

8:30 pm | DLM Culinary Center

RiverScape Virtual Winter Yoga

9:30 am |

2nd Annual Ice Breaker Fest

4:00 pm | Fifth Street Brewpub

Ronald McDonald House Cooking Together

6:00 pm | your house

Dave’s & Confused

6:00 pm | The Phone Booth Lounge

DPAA presents Beethoven 8 and Florence Price

6:00 pm | Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center

Live Music With Generations Band

6:30 pm | Sojourners Brewstillery

Until Rust & Friends

6:30 pm | Courtyard Lounge

Derik Zoo

7:15 pm | Wiley’s Comedy Club

DPAA presents Beethoven 8 and Florence Price

8:30 pm | Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center

Winter Restaurant Week

| tba

Chili Fest

10:00 am | Findlay Market- Cincy

Rivers and Streams of the Miami Valley — and How Citizens can Make a Difference to Protect Them

2:30 pm | zoom

DLM Virtual Class! Sunday Supper Chicken & Dumplings

5:00 pm | ZOOM

More Events…

DMM E-Newsletter


Give us your email address and we'll send you our DMM E-Newsletters
Email:  
For Email Marketing you can trust
Back to Top

Copyright © 2021 Dayton Most Metro · Terms & Conditions · Log in