by June August

Not In Front of the Children is a world premiere one-person musical with eight original songs, playing at Revolution Stage Company (RSC). Gary Powers, one of RSC’s Producing Partners, wrote and stars in the show. I was definitely impressed with his performance, although I have some criticisms about other aspects of the production.

The show’s protagonist is Danny, who has recently quit his job and suffered a mental breakdown. Attempting to get back on his feet, Danny decides to tell his sister about what it was like for him to grow up “different” — in other words, he is ready to come out to her as gay. She responds by forbidding him to say anything about his sexual orientation in front of her children. Her rejection sends Danny reeling back to therapy. He learns how to maneuver through a world without a guidebook, and eventually reaches his destination: self-acceptance.

A 90-minute monologue delivered by the author—with songs, costume changes, and lighting effects?  That’s an impressive accomplishment under any circumstances. So bravo, Gary Powers, for your performance.

It was clear to me that Gary’s poignant memories come from within. After the show, I asked Gary how long the piece was in development.  He said, if I remember correctly, about a year and a half.  Now that was a surprise. I expected him to answer, “All my life.”

A second round of bravos has to go to James Owens (Revolution’s other Producing Director) for the show’s direction, as well as to music director and arranger Denis Moreen; they, too, contributed to the quality of the performance. The technical aspects of the theater also impressed me — the seats are comfortable, visibility is very good, and the sound system is excellent. 

I do, however, have some gripes about Not In Front of the Children, because I did not enjoy the book or musical composition as much as the performance, itself. My main objection, which may stem from my being a straight woman, is that I’ve frequently heard similar stories of a gay man telling us about his angst when he came out. Not only is this often-covered ground in theatre, but, to me, Danny frequently sounded like a victim.        

With regard to the music, I’m old-fashioned, so at the risk of seeming picky, I must agree with Oscar Hammerstein. Hammerstein believed that a musical is punctuated by an uplifting 11 o’clock song, which the audience can hum while leaving the theater. “By My Side” (words and music by Gary Powers) has possibilities.  The lyrics are authentic and moving, but for the life of me, I can’t recall the melody. I have no idea whether this is because of choices by Gary Powers or by Dennis Moreen, but I would have liked to leave the theater with the song playing itself in my head.

One more point that I’d like to make about RSC: Relatively speaking, it is a new kid on the block; this is its first full year. Coachella Valley audiences might not be aware of its existence, or if they are, they may be confused about the company’s offerings. For example, I live in Sun City, and some of my neighbors seem to believe that RSC is a gay-oriented theatre company whose productions will not interest them.

While Not In Front of the Children is clearly of special interest to gay men whose families hurt them after they got up the courage to come out, the show alternates with Mid-Century Moderns, a lively juke-box musical that I also attended and very much enjoyed. Mid-Century Moderns is geared to quite a different audience from Not In Front of the Children — heterosexual Baby Boomers (or people even older) who remember the wild 1960’s, its sexual revolution, and its music. Mid-Century Moderns is perfect for the residents of Sun City who are looking for a fun time at a musical. Not In Front of the Children is definitely a heavier production.

Not In Front of the Children will run for five more performances, all at 7 p.m., on Wednesday, October 18th; on Sunday, October 22nd; on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 24th and 25th; and on Sunday, October 29th. For more information and to purchase tickets to Revolution Stage Company’s plays or special events, go to the Web site, at www.RevolutionStageCompany.com. Revolution Stage Company is located at  611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs, in the same shopping center as the Palm Springs Revivals.

Revolution’s productions for the rest of 2023 consist of:

Mid-Century Moderns (October 6th to November 19th). Written and Directed by Mark Christopher, Produced by Mark Christopher, Dan Gelfand. Maryann Popecky, a Wisconsin widow, dreams of moving West to become a secretary.  But when her car breaks down in the shadow of Mt. San Jacinto, it seems that the fates have something else in store. This show features the music of Tom Jones, Petula Clark, Lesley Gore, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, The Association, The Monkees, and many more.

Off the Street (November 6th to November 21st). Music and Lyrics by Jeanie Cunningham and Matt Naylor, Book by Gary Powers, Produced by RSC with Dan Kerrigan. The matriarch of the Palm Sprinkles’ homeless community is Lila, who has had the same dream for years — on a moonlit night, on the eve before she turns fifty, a King or Queen will find her a home off the street. After a new mayor promises to solve the issue of homelessness, Lila believes her dream is about to come true. After a much-heralded reading last fall at Palm Springs Underground, the show receives its world-premiere production. 

Dickens Writes A Christmas Carol (December 1st to December 23rd). By Charles Dickens, Adapted by Scott Palmer, Directed by Laura Stearns. This exciting new adaptation follows author Charles Dickens while he is conceiving and writing a new story called A Christmas Carol. While pondering the plot, he is visited by muses in his head who throw ideas out to him as he forms the story. These muses act out the story, chiming in from time to time with ideas as he writes. This take on A Christmas Carol is appropriate for the whole family.

PHOTO CREDIT: Gustavo Sanchez