(L-R) Tracie Thoms and Natalie Venetia Belcon in a tale about sisters who must confront their own hearts before they can heal, in "10 Things To Do Before I Die." (Joan Marcus)
On the surface, it's a rather pedestrian tale that covers little new ground. But the work succeeds brilliantly thanks to letter-perfect casting, as well as clear and sharp direction by Jackson Gay.
At its heart, "10 Things" is about the relationship between two sisters, Nina (Tracie Thoms) and Vida (Natalie Venetia Belcon), who had difficult childhoods. Nina recently tried to exorcise her own demons by penning a tell-all memoir about that period in her life.
However, what it did (other than become a best-seller) was to cause an estrangement between herself and her older sister, as Vida remembers much of that time differently. (Nina's description of her sister as someone who jumped from bed to bed and man to man as a way to forget her pain didn't help matters.)
Currently, Vida is a dedicated inner city teacher, trying to instill a love for the theater in her students. She's also having an affair with a married man (Dion Graham) and is prone to panic attacks.
Nina, meanwhile, is desperately trying to come up with an idea for her next book. Her live-in boyfriend Jason (Francois Battiste) is not sure if he wants to continue in the business world in a job he hates, or look for something elsewhere. He would also like to make his relationship with Nina permanent.
One day, Nina receives a series of boxes from her late father’s wife. When the sisters examine the contents (it having taken a great deal for Nina to persuade her sister to even be in the same room with her), they find pieces of their past. No great revelations are inside, but rather little things their father saved over the years—such as Vida's kindergarten report card, a picture of the family together, and copies of Nina's memoir.
The contents awaken memories and emotions in both women, pushing issues they have kept deep inside to the surface. Soon Vida's panic attacks not only become more profound, but she also lets herself get closer than she should to one of her students, Jose (Kyle Beltran)—a point that is played nicely both for drama and for laughs.
As for Nina, she resorts to prescription medication to help her sleep (even though it doesn't stop the nightmares). She was previously addicted to these medications. This last point may also be the final straw in her relationship with Jason.
What makes the story so fascinating is the way both sisters deal with these issues, undergoing completely different emotional upheavals and awakenings. Thoms, in particular, nicely portrays a young woman who is so self-centered, she thinks nothing of the effect her book might have on other people. In addition, she's so commitment phobic, the mere mention of marriage sends her into full-on panic.
Belcon makes a nice contrast to Nina's initial "what did I ever do to you" attitude. As the older and more grounded of the sisters, her process of becoming unhinged is more related to everyday life. While there are several good moments of humor in her various tirades and revelations, one can clearly see the serious issues beneath.
Equally important is the strong support the other actors provide. Beltran works well as an earnest young man caught in a somewhat stereotypical situation (a student transferring his affections to his teacher in a combination mother/companion/kindred soul sort of way). Battiste is good as Nina's s loyal boyfriend who finds himself at a crossroads in life and who wants Nina to be a part of his future.
However, the real surprise is Andrew (Graham), Vida's married lover. At first glance, the character comes across as just another man cheating on his wife, but a quiet moment (which happens after a confrontation between both Vida and Jose) shows just how human and three-dimensional this character is—great work by Graham in making the transition completely believable.
Also quite good is the show's conclusion, which is rather open-ended, with every indication that both sisters have healing to do before they can put their relationship with each other back on track—a point that shows that any attempt to heal old wounds may instead create newer, and deeper, ones.
Kudos also goes to Gay's direction—an effort that keeps the story moving smoothly and allows the actors to get to the essence of their various characters. All told, "10 Things To Do Before I Die" is a strong family drama.
10 Things To Do Before I Die
McGinn/Cazale Theatre
Broadway at 76th Street
Tickets: 212-246-4422 or www.2st.com
Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Closes: June 14
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication, The Stage.
