By Myah Schultz

If you’re a fan of Sondheim, you won’t want to miss Theater Latté Da’s production of one of his lesser known works, Passion. This piece, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, is not a feel good musical. It is haunting, unsettling, and thanks to the artistic and directorial choices of the Latté Da team, extremely captivating.

Director Justin Lucero has done an excellent job with this historically divisive show, finding ways to highlight the humanity in each of the highly polarizing main characters. Fosca in particular (played by Erin Capello), is a difficult character to connect with. She is manipulative, insidious, and unrelenting, but thanks to Lucero’s direction and Capello’s acting prowess, we are able to see her for what she truly is: a person who is trapped and hurting, clinging desperately to any scrap of happiness that comes her way.

Paul Whitaker’s scenic and lighting design is particularly impressive. It is simple, elegant, and extremely impactful. The sheer white curtains that make up the bulk of the set throughout the show lend an ethereal, dreamlike quality to many of the scenes. This design choice lends itself well to the slightly non-linear structure of the play, enhancing the feeling of ungroundedness that takes hold even before the houselights come down.

Amber Brown’s costume design is also notable. By subtly changing costume elements throughout the show, she is able to capture and illustrate the changing emotional states and relationship dynamics of the three main characters in a way that is both subtle and powerful.

If you enjoy thought-provoking theater that challenges as well as entertains, this production is a must-see. Passion is playing at the Ritz Theater from June 4th through July 13th. Click here to order your tickets today.

*All photos by Dan Norman