Young, Stupid and Political at Camp Siegfried

Johnny Berchtold and Lily McInerny star in Bess Wohl's Camp Siegfried, directed by David Cromer, at Second Stage Theater.
(© Emilio Madrid)

Camp Siegfried starts with an unknown and uncomfortable part of history. From 1936 to 1941 there was a movement among some German Americans to convince the United States to adopt Third Reich answers to the problems of the world, and to ally with Hitler. Camp Siegfried takes place in a summer youth camp directed by the American Bund - or German American National Socialists - before Hitler’s regime started the wars and the country’s aggressive hatred was clear. The movement crashed after America’s entry into World War II.

So, a minefield.

At the start of the play the analogies to present day America seem blatantly obvious. Telegraphed like Steven Spielberg milking our emotions. But the analogy becomes more tortured until it is muddled with the experiences of these two teenagers. Johnny Berchtold and Lily McInerny play the unnamed young people.

These two actors navigate a situation that becomes less overtly political and more personal as the story progresses. It is not just a political history lesson, it is also an emotional journey of young people. These two navigate a summer camp of adolescence as infatuation convinces them they are in love.

The Bund, like the Nazi Youth, promotes the idea of pure germans reproducing. That is the purpose for women. Sex and pregnancy are encouraged by the members of the right ages - she is 16 and he is 17.

Johnny Berchtold and Lily McInerny star in Bess Wohl's Camp Siegfried, directed by David Cromer, at Second Stage Theater.
(© Emilio Madrid)

But camp draws to a close. The couple’s relationship disintegrates as the summer comes to an end. Their “plans” for the future, like ours at that age, are brought to an end. That end can be bittersweet for some, but for these two the end is fierce. The confront the future and finally themselves. They have been changed by the experience and respond differently, as well do. This is the least engaging part of the play and the most distant from the characters we have seen. They act as if removed from the time period and reality of rest of the piece.

Camp Siegfried’s Senior Production Manager is Michael Catalan and the designs add greatly to the experience. They create a space that is both expansive and claustrophobic. It serves the emotions of youth excellently. Written by the wonderful Bess Wohl (writer of Grand Horizons), it walks the delicate line between young desire and family expectations. Director David Cromer brings the show to life with a light touch that lets the story develop naturally.

Camp Siegfried

Playwright: Bess Wohl | Director: David Cromer | Cast: Johnny Berchtold, Lily McInerny

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Grand Horizons: Everyone Gets a Chance to Shine in this Dramedy

Grand Horizons has a fantastic cast. Anchored by Jane Alexander, the talented group of actors breathes life into Grand Horizons, allowing it to deliver beyond the boundaries of the page. Because what limits the play is baked into the script and format.

Grand Horizons is the story of an elderly couple, Nancy and Bill, played by Jane Alexander and James Cromwell. The story opens as they go through the ritual of breakfast in their new “senior living” apartment. During this silent ritual, the ennui of Nancy is palpable, cumulating in a request for a divorce. The request is met with a simple acknowledgement from Bill.

Next we are introduced to the two sons of the couple; Brian (Michael Urie) the gay, overly dramatic younger son and Ben (Ben McKenzie) the older, structured brother. With Ben is his wife, Jess (Ashley Park) a former counselor, who wants to work on the parental issues. The children try to understand exactly what has caused this change in their parents’ relationships, but Nancy and Bill are not helpful. This leads to a great deal of comedic tension, and bit of character development of Brian and Nancy.

Brian spends the first night at his parents’ house a brings home a horny and funny man, Tommy (Maulik Pancholy). Tommy’s attempt to get laid with the self-absorbed Brian is actually hilarious. But Tommy knows a lost cause when he sees it and leaves.

After the intermission, we are introduced to Bill’s lady friend Carla (a welcome Priscilla Lopez). Nancy explains how to take care of her husband to the new girlfriend and Carla suddenly sees what she is signing up for. In the second half Ben McKenzie and Ashley Park are also giving scenes to shine in.

Grand Horizons plays like a comedy-drama TV show, which may or may annoy the viewer. The format and timing makes it seem like one just watched the first two episodes of a pretty good series. I’d be interested in what happens to Nancy and Bill next. But it doesn’t deliver a full punch as a play. We get a fantastic cast where everyone gets a scene or two where they get to shine. Only Jane Alexander gets the chance to develop a character, and she is fantastic.

I can’t fault the cast, they are nearly perfect in execution. And Director Leigh Silverman creates a pace that both allows the action to play out naturally and doesn’t ever get bogged down. Playwright Bess Wohl has created a detailed and interesting story, but it left me wanting to know what happens in the next few episodes. 

Grand Horizons 

Playwright: Bess Wohl | Director: Leigh Silverman | Cast: Jane Alexander, James Cromwell, Priscilla Lopez, BeMcKenzie, Maulik Pancholy, Ashley Park, Michael Urie

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