Review: Open Fist Theatre Company’s ‘Brownstone’ at Atwater Village Theatre
- Anthony Gutierrez
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Catherine Butterfield's "Brownstone," having its Los Angeles premiere by Open Fist Theatre Company in the Atwater Village Theatre, is an exploration of city living in three distinct stories set in the 1930s, 1970s and early days of the new millennium. Set in a classic New York brownstone, each story follows a young couple navigating the highs and lows of living in the big city.
One of the strengths of this production is its ensemble cast. Each actor feels perfectly suited to their role, and thanks to costumes by Mylette Nora, the performers convincingly embody both their characters and the distinct eras they inhabit.
Chelsea Spirito as Davia and Matthew Goodrich as Stephen glide about the stage in a budding romance that grows while war brews in Europe in the late 1930s. Spirito could have walked out of the silver screen and onto the stage.
Deena (Rosie Byrne) and Maureen (Amber Tiara) embody the tumultuous nature of youth, ambition and individual ideas of success in the crumbling New York of the 1970s. Byrne is convincing as Texas native Deena, a well-off heiress to an oil fortune trying to strike out on her own as a young actor.
And Isaac W. Jay is punchable, to say the least, as hotshot commodities broker Jason alongside his ambitious wife Jessica (Jade Santana). The duo’s laser focus on becoming a power couple in the big city in the early 2000s leaves them unprepared when they face the reality of a future together.
Director Ron West cleverly overlaps these timelines — characters from each time period often share the stage like ghosts haunting each other across generations.
As suggested in the title, the very building itself is a silent character and witness to the stories housed within its walls. The minimalistic yet detailed set design by Jan Munroe allows the focus to remain on the human drama while creating a space that feels authentic to each time period.
And each scene plays out with a pleasant pace, eliciting real laughter and real sadness from the audience through talented acting and Butterfield’s entertaining script. That said, while the different stories connecting to each other is an amusing device, it begs for a larger thematic throughline besides physical setting. Overall, though, "Brownstone" blends humor, heart and history in a satisfying experience.
“Brownstone” has been extended through March 14 at Open Fist Theatre Company, Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. For tickets and information, call the box office at 323-882-6912 or visit OpenFist.org. Run time is 2 hours and 10 minutes, including intermission.
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