BROOKFIELD - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts (TBTA) is staging a bold and powerful musical for its summer feature.Bare: a pop opera, with book by Jon Hartmere and Damon Intrabartolo and lyrics by Hartmere and music by Intrabartolo, tells a tragic tale of teenage love, loss, angst, and sorrow.(Performances continue weekends to July 30 at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, 184 Whisconier Road.The theater cautions that this contemporary rock musical is "not intended for young audiences - minimum suggested age 16." Bare includes sensuous dancing, coarse humor, and depictions of drug and alcohol use.For tickets, curtain times and other information, call 203-775-0023 or visit brookfieldtheatre.org.)

Still children, the teens in this work grapple with huge issues around identity, conformity, and loneliness. It is heavy.

Two young men are in love and undercover at St Cecelia's boarding school. Peter (played by Willem Sandercox) is a childhood friend of Jason (Stephen Moores), whom he has loved since they met as children. So earnest and willing to expose their love to the taunts and bullying that swirl around them, Peter is denied by Jason. It isn't that Jason doesn't adore Peter in return. He is afraid.

Jason lives in a world in which he fears he has everything to lose by coming out and declaring his love for Peter. These two cannot find sanctuary anywhere for their urgency and pain.

They are completely surrounded by the demands and treachery of a teenage life where any modicum of happiness is elusive. Peter reaches out to his sad and fearful mother, Claire (Shannon Denihan), only to come up empty, again.

Jason feigns heterosexuality with the high school hottie, Ivy (Victoria Madden), only to find isolation and terror.

Repeated efforts to declare themselves are thwarted, except by the gospel singing Sister Chantelle (Loretta Fedrick), who embraces all with a large dose of sass. Sister Chantelle reassures Peter that he is young, he has time on his side. If only everyone believed that stark truism.

Jason's sister Nadia (Kate Valsika) represents another square peg in a round hole. The wrenching truth of adolescence is this: no one fits in.

These kids do all the things you hope kids are not doing: loud, drug-infused partying with a catchy rap number by drug dealer Lucas (Tyler Carey), random sex, outright bullying…   None of it ends well.

This piece is a tragedy of epic proportions. These characters live in a place where no one is secure and young love is excruciating. Teenage anxiety and anger ooze out of every lyric and voice.

In a stunning moment, Claire utters "one single word and my whole life has changed." While she is referring to her son's truth, the audience is left to wonder if there could be a word to change all these lives. Might not that word be love?

The cast is rife with exceptional talent. Willem Sandercox wears his perpetual and obvious pain in every expression and movement he makes, while belting out with a brilliant voice.

As his love interest Jason, Stephen Moores is conflicted and elusive. Both are superb young actors.

Nathan Clift is excellent as Matt, playing the many capacities of the newly forming adult. His portrayal of a lonely, charitable yet envious keeper of confidence at times provides rare moments of humor.

Shannon Denihan is heartbreaking as the mother who loves her son yet cannot bear to acknowledge what she already knows to be true.

All players deserve praise for their total commitment to this important piece.

The direction of Todd Santa Maria is capable and evidence of his strong attachment to this play and the actors he has directed.

Everyone everywhere needs to feel they belong. TBTA is offering a moving night of theater provided by wonderfully talented actors.

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