Off-Broadway Theater Review: The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey

James Lecesne. Photo: Courtesy of Polk PR

Seeing a Neighborhood and One’s Self Through the Life of One Boy

By Lauren Yarger
You might not be able to get tickets to Broadway’s sold-out sensation Hamilton, which opened last week, but take heart. Summer is a great time to check out what is playing Off-Broadway in New York, and The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey would be a satisfying way to spend a night at the theater.

The solo play, written and performed by James Lecesne (writer of the Academy Award-winning film “Trevor”), offers 90 minutes of consummate storytelling that ranges from comic to grim and haunting. It is the story of the disappearance of Leonard Pelkey,  a 14-year-old boy from a small New Jersey town, and Lecesne plays the numerous characters who tell the tale.

There is Chuck, the police detective, who is alerted to Leonard’s disappearance by his aunt Ellen, her daughter Phoebe and a number of other characters who share information with the detective as he tries to put the pieces together. Lecesne, directed by Tony Speciale (who also directed Absolute Brightness at its limited run at Dixon Place earlier this year), portrays sharply defined characters without having to resort to props or accents, as is the downfall of so many one-man shows.

Each one comes from the heart and develops to give us a picture of Leonard, a gay teenager who “dared to be different,” and the effect he had on those who knew him – and even those who didn’t, like Chuck. We never knew him, but feel as though we did, and it’s hard to feel that this play isn’t based on a true story (which it isn’t.)

“Evil can happen anywhere. Even here,” we’re told. And we believe it.

The story could probably use some tweaking as far as writing a script goes – some more details would be helpful along the way -- but there certainly are questions (many about the role of evil in our society) to be answered and sense of mystery that fills the air on Jo Winiarski’s stark set with desk, blackboard and other indications of a detective squad room. Amusing sound effects designed by Christian Frederickson, animation and photography by Matthew Sandager, projection design by Aaron Rhyne and original music by Duncan Sheik (of Spring Awakening fame) round out the atmosphere.

A portion of ticket sales will be donated to The Trevor Project, a national suicide and crisis intervention network for at-risk LGBTQ children.

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey continues through Oct. 4 at the Westside Theatre,  Downstairs, 407 West 43rd St., NYC. Performances are Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Wednesday and Saturday at 2 pm; Sunday at 3 pm. Tickets $85: http://absolutebrightnessplay.com; 212-239-6200.

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