Proof Can be Found at Sierra Madre Playhouse
By admin
Published: Tuesday, June 30th, 2009
Can’t stand math? Always hated it? Don’t let that scare you away from seeing “Proof,” the prizewinning drama now at the Sierra Madre Playhouse.
True, the theme focuses on a mathematical proof sought for centuries by mathematicians, and now perhaps—just perhaps—it may at last have been found. But what we watch unfold is the interplay amongst four people connected to the proof and to each other in complex and fascinating relationships.
Onstage we have romance, humor, frustrations, sisterly rivalry, and Robert, a deceased mathematician. (Yes, deceased!) A professor and academic at the University of Chicago, Robert searched his entire life for a proof of an elusive prime number theorem. (Never mind—we don’t need to understand prime numbers to understand the brilliant, sharp dialogue among the actors.)
What we see is that Robert’s search for his proof began to veer away from the rational as his mind increasingly led him into madness. To care for him in his illness, his younger daughter Catherine left college, thus sacrificing her goal of studying math—for she inherited his talents for numbers.
During her father’s decline she continued studying on her own, often aided by his notes, in which occasional glimpses of lucidity spurred her on.
Now, Robert has died and it’s the week of his funeral. Claire, the older daughter, has come home from her career in New York. Amidst the tensions, Catherine also is at odds with herself. Has she inherited her father’s genes, not only of brilliant math ability, but also tendencies toward imbalance?
Claire suspects as much, and sets about to sell the house and take Catherine back to New York “for her own good” and so she can watch over her younger sister. She’s well-meaning enough, but only on her own terms. Amidst the emotional outbursts between the sisters, along comes Hal.
The 28-year-old mathematician was Robert’s protégé at the university. He’s been sent to seek any clues in the professor’s latest meandering scribblings.
Claire resents Hal’s delving into her father’s recent works, considering it pointless. Robert had, by his own definition, peaked in his early 20s with insightful contributions to his field. Then came his slow decline, exacerbated by the madness.
Catherine also resents Hal’s intrusion; moreover, she fears and distrusts his motives in searching through her father’s 103 notebooks. If he should find something significant, would he present it to the world, claiming the proof as his own?
Slowly, however, trust builds between them, and Hal begins to lift Catherine from the despair she feels at losing her father and from the sheer fatigue of having cared for him through years of his vacillating moods. Indeed, after the funeral they find themselves becoming tender and romantic.
“Proof” is rife with argument and confrontation among the foursome, of the cutting things we all say when we’re in a rage. In contrast, there are poignant moments when complete silence speaks more loudly than any words could.
Skillful flashbacks provide the background to earlier moments when we see the love and devotion between father and daughter—a bond, however, that was not without its competitive aspects. (The playbook offers helpful notes on Act II’s timelines.)
Did you see the movie of “Proof”? The Playhouse doesn’t have Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Hope Davis on stage. But the cast of J.P. Bumstead, Alesa B. Gantz, Chris Payne, and Laurie Naughton Okin (Robert, Catherine, Hal and Claire, respectively) can hold their heads high in this production! All are perfect for their roles.
And demanding roles they are. Director Barbara Schofield brings out just the right nuances—no easy task when there is so much rapid-fire talk and such heightened emotions. So effective is the acting that it was surprising on opening night not to hear enthusiastic applause at every scene-break. Perhaps the audience was simply too engaged themselves in the drama to respond overtly.
The endings of both acts are stunners. It’s not often that the conversation at the final curtain ends with an ellipse, but “Proof” dramatically does so….
What a Chicagoan setting depicts Robert’s and Catherine’s home! The red brick walls, the wicker table and chairs on the wooden porch and steps, lace curtains at the window, and, of course, books stacked on the table. It’s complete in every detail, right down to the downspout, a bird house, and several wind chimes—chimes that almost take on a role themselves. Through the kitchen door and an open window, the interior of the house is alluded to.
David Calhoun can take credit for this artistry of authenticity. Calhoun’s construction crew comprises Jack Shipston, Karen Young, John Dimitri, Chris Varela, Estelle Campbell (also stage manager), Justin Larsen, Marilyn Coen, and Elaina Present, in addition to Ward Calaway and Christine Soldate who produced the play. Barry Schwam is the sound designer. Lighting designer is Kristen Cox; she, Schyler Gamick, Karen Young, and Larsen handle the light and sound operations. The lighting crew includes Lygia Firmani, Chris Pavan, Xiaotion Qin, Marcela Goncalves, Katsue Miyake, and Ji-Weon Park.
Lois Tedrow can be credited for costuming that subtly defines the sisters’ differing personalities.
Brad Gantt did the poster art illustration. Anne Marie Atwan is in charge of properties. Calaway is production photographer and, with John Johnson, is responsible for program design and layout. Philip Sokoloff is publicist. Orlando Mendoza is house manager.
David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play offers glimpses into the world of numbers, but even more into the less-predictable worlds of humans’ relationships. Those glimpses can be seen in “Proof” on the Sierra Madre Playhouse stage weekends through Aug. 1. Curtain time is 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. for Sunday matinees. Admission is $20 general, $17 for seniors (65+) and students (13-17), and $12 for children 12 years and under.
By Fran Syverson
The Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Free parking is available in city lots. Restaurants on Baldwin Avenue and Sierra Madre Boulevard offer pre-theater dining for every taste. For reservations or more information, phone (626) 355-4318, or visit the website, www.sierramadreplayhouse.org, for information or for online ticketing.
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