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I remain ever-fascinated with the limitless variety within art genres that are subject to the finite boundaries of their respective universes - Western Music has only 12 notes; English literature has only 26 letters - and that fact makes it all the more remarkable when a work jumps out with such originality and freshness.

In Broke-ology, Nathan Louis Jackson creates a memorable portrait of a situation occurring in millions of families - the care of a growing elderly population. And using the same 26 letters that every other English-speaking playwright must use, delivers a unique storyline with fresh perspective and with a sensitive, riveting climax. Over this past year I have been fortunate to have seen several plays in Kansas City that have won Pulitzer Prize's in their respective eras; and I can tell you that the writing in Broke-ology is as good as any of them.

Broke-ology opens with a scene set in Kansas City, Kansas "in the 1980s" that introduces us to Sonia (Shamika Cotton) and William (David Emerson Toney), who are expecting their first child, Ennis. They are very much in love - and like many young couples, although money is tight, have bright hopes for the future.

The remainder of the play takes place in the same modest house in "the summer of 2009." Sonia has passed away (later dialogue alludes to some form of cancer) and William is becoming increasingly debilitated by the ravages of multiple sclerosis. Ennis (Postell Pringle), born and raised entirely in KCK, is now expecting a child of his own with his girlfriend; and Malcolm (Larry Powell), Ennis's younger brother, has just returned after completing his Master's degree in Connecticut.

With William's deterioration, Ennis and Malcolm must cope with the reality that he will require an increasing level of care. Here Nathan Louis Jackson amply portrays a sad paradox of aging since multiple sclerosis not only ravages the body, but also the mind. Thus, as William worsens, he is less able to care for himself, less able to manage his medications, and requires more and more assistance (read supervision) from his sons.  And they, in turn, become increasingly reliant on William to remember whether or not he has taken his meds when they weren't around.

After William almost lights himself on fire while attempting to make his own lunch, it becomes obvious that he cannot be left alone. This accentuates the tension between Ennis - who has no options outside of KCK - and Malcolm, who, with a Masters in Environmental Science, has little inclination to settle there permanently. With a bright future ahead of him, Malcolm poignantly defends his dreams, telling his father and brother that he aspires "not to get away, but to move towards something."

Broke-ology presents a very balanced cast - kudos to Casting Director Stephanie Klapper - with David Emerson Toney particularly strong as William. Set Design (Meghan Raham) was realistic and fitting, and was nicely accentuated by excellent Lighting Design from Victor En Yu Tan. Director Kyle Hatley brought an intimacy and immediacy to the play - much like he did in last years' production of The Borderland.

I give KC Rep Artistic Director Eric Rosen high praise too, for his foresight in programming Broke-ology's Kansas City premiere on the heels of its 2008 opening at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and its New York premiere last October. It seems destined to become a staple in the Kansas City theatre repertoire.

In some ways I hesitate to point out that this is a play by an African-American playwright about an African-American family because it truly doesn't matter. Millions of families face the same challenges with elderly relatives every day. However, the uniqueness of the Kansas City, Kansas setting, with its rich history of supporting the underground railroad, Kansas' proud heritage as a "free state," the lingering social challenges facing African-Americans - who continue to be disproportionately affected by economic hardships - and the challenging history and struggles of black literature and theatre in general, all combine to deliver powerful social insights that would be lost (or at least muted) in any other ethnic presentation.

With Broke-ology, Jackson has managed to craft a play about something that people of every race, color and creed will go through, while setting it in a family dynamic that also speaks directly to the African-American viewer. While the underlying societal issues are common, Jackson is not shy about inserting themes that evoke unique reactions based on ethnicity, whether they be light-hearted jabs at Santa as the evil white guy who is just another repressive manifestation of "the man," or the controversial use by black people of the word "nigger" (Ennis's bad habit, for which Malcolm makes him humorously recite "I love black people" five times every time he says it).  Or - my favorite - William's palatable discomfort when Sonia repaints some holiday ornaments as African-Americans and then hangs them on the tree, causing him to exclaim that it is just "like some sort of Ku Klux Christmas."

It is an over-used platitude to summarize a work as having "something for everyone," but in this instance I can think of no better way to explain what Broke-ology brings to the table. Audience members will be touched by the challenges faced by Ennis and Malcolm. Those in their 20s and 30s will see what might face them with currently-vibrant parents. Those in middle age will worry about the burden their inevitable deterioration might impose upon their children.  And the elderly may well identify with William who remembers with heart-breaking frustration the days when he was young, spry and vibrant.

This is a remarkable play. Go see it.

 REVIEW:
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Broke-ology
By Nathan Louis Jackson
Directed by Kyle Hatley
Runs February 19 - March 21 (Reviewed Saturday, February 27)
Copaken Stage
13^th and Walnut Streets, Kansas City, MO  64105
For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org

Cover photo: David Emerson Toney (Pops/William). Photo by Don Ipock

By Christopher Guerin

Traditional and New Classical music, and Theatre Contributor (Past writer)
Christopher Guerin holds degrees in Music Education, Music Business, and Music Theory & Composition, the latter from the University of Massachusetts (Lowell) College of Music where he co-founded the college's Composers' Guild, and, in 1985, won the Artin Arslanian Composition Award. During college, he also obtained some musical theatre experience as a member of pit orchestras for Threepenny Opera and My Fair Lady. Since 1989, Christopher has been in the very non-artistic corporate sector, where his creative energies have been put to more mundane endeavors 

Christopher credits his musical motivations to his late father, who was concertmaster of the Springfield (MA) Community (pre-cursor to the city's current Symphony) Orchestra and performed popular music on radio in the 1930s. Christopher began his classical training in 1972 at age 10, began teaching at 16 (continuing to take private students throughout college), and traveled extensively with a youth orchestra - including to New Zealand in 1980. After college, and until 1989, Christopher focused on the business end of music as a successful sales manager for one of New England's largest music chains.

Over the past 20 years, Christopher's expertise has focused on medicine as a life risk underwriting officer for a large Midwest insurance group. His past duties included responsibility for risk underwriting in Pacific Rim markets where he traveled extensively to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand and Burma. Time permitting, he has continued to compose intermittently throughout this period. Christopher is married to Paula, a fellow musician he met during college, and together they have "composed" their magnum opera in three very creative children - an architecture student (go K-State!), an aspiring classical pianist, and a budding writer/journalist. He and his wife relocated from Massachusetts to the Kansas City area in 1997.