As a new play making its East Coast premiere in Island City Stage’s current can’t-miss production, Everything Beautiful Happens At Night isn’t a piece that I went into with any real knowledge or notions about. And it’s an unusual compliment to the show that the first thing that I have to say about it is that this Sunday’s matinee confidently disproved its own otherwise striking title.
In other words, “beautiful” might just be a perfect descriptor for this sharply-written, original, and truly touching show, which delves into the experience of a gay children’s book illustrator in 1980s New York. Named Ezra, he’s a mild-mannered man in late middle age who has had few romantic entanglements since his discovery of his homosexuality upended his youthful marriage to a woman.
Consequently, the most enduring relationship in his life is his decades-long creative partnership with a different woman—his acerbic editor Nancy. With her help, he’s achieved tremendous success with a series of children’s books about the adventures of an anthropomorphized squirrel and chipmunk who are each other’s very best friends.
The delicate balance of that relationship, and of Ezra’s closeted life, is upset when he meets Jake, a much younger and dangerously attractive man. At first, the differences in age and attitude between the two make anything but a brief affair implausible—but, thanks to a few twists of fate, what begins as an awkward hookup blossoms into a passionate romance.
Initially, audience members might share Nancy’s suspicions that Jake may be less interested in Ezra than in taking advantage of the situation financially. But it’s a credit to playwright Ted Malawer’s script that he eventually fully sells us on the idea that both parties are genuinely in love.
Emboldened by his relationship with Jake, Ezra incorporates into his next Squirrel and Chipmunk manuscript a moment that innocently hints at the depth of the relationship between the two— which Nancy is certain readers will take as a proof of the two’s homosexuality that will make the book unsellable.
The emotionally charged debate between the two that follows is both theatrically compelling and painfully relevant in the face of continued culture wars over whether same-sex love needs to stay confined to the shadows.
From here, the play takes one more tragic turn that culminates in a bittersweet conclusion that celebrates that love, and that seems to transform the title into less of a literal statement than an assertion that the kind of intimacy that may only feel safe to share under the cover of starlight is no less real or beautiful than the kind society accepts.
Led by director Bruce Linser, the cast of the show bring their three characters to life seamlessly. As Jake, Aidan Paul comes in cocky and swaggering but makes the character’s sensitive side feel just as believable. And Laura Turnbull wrings plenty of laughs from Nancy’s bitter wisecracks but is just as effective at revealing her hidden depths.
Most impressive of all was Christopher Dreeson’s portrayal of Ezra, the show’s most nuanced character. His controlled and moving performance captures the character’s endearing quirks and emotional contradictions, showing his journey from inhibitedness into passion and bringing visceral intensity to his moments of wounded rage.
Linser does a great job of managing the three’s shifting dynamics, and is particularly effective at staging the intimate scenes between Jake and Ezra, which feel like a natural escalation of the two’s chemistry.
Physically, most of the play takes place in Ezra’s apartment, which a set designed by Ardean Landhuis and property design by Ana Calise turns into an elegant expression of the character’s artistic interests and classy vibes. Lighting, also by Landhuis, is effective throughout and particularly striking during a few inspired transitions.
Finally, illustrations by Bong Redila, which are projected throughout and show us pages from Ezra’s Squirrel and Chipmunk books, are an inspired touch that enhances our connection to his stories.
Whatever hour you attend, I would definitely recommend making the effort to catch Everything Beautiful Happens at Night between now and the show’s April 26th closing. This understated piece is made all the more impactful by the excellence of Island City’s production, and don’t be surprised if its heartfelt story sticks with you long after the stage lights fade.
Ilana Jael earned her MFA in Creative Nonfiction from Sarah Lawrence College and a BA in Writing and Psychology from Florida Atlantic University’s Wilkes Honors College. She also served as co-founder of the student theatre troupe “Theatre in the Raw.” She has been dabbling in both playwriting and acting since high school. A few favorite roles include Rebel in Columbinus (Bob Carter’s Actor’s Rep), The Fearful One in The Cave (G-Star School of The Arts), and Amanda in The Glass Menagerie (Theatre In The Raw). Her one-act plays Goodbye, Karma’s A Bitch, Certainly Not About Him, and Open Heart have also been previously performed at Actor’s Rep and/or at Florida Atlantic University. More recently, Ilana appeared in and created the original musical ZeeZou’s Stardust Extravaganza with Area Stage’s Miami Queer Theatre Collective. Her short plays have been produced virtually by New City Players, Theatre Lab, and Femuscripts. She is also a current company member of New City Players, and you can check out her theatre blog at ilanaintheatreland.com!
