The Town Players of Newtown is concluding its 2024 season with a production of I Never Sang For My Father.

The drama tells the story of Gene Garrison (played by Lenny Carlucci), who has never had an easy relationship with his father, Tom (Nick Byrne). When Gene’s parents return from a trip to Florida, the health of his mother Margaret (Noel Desiato) starts to deteriorate, and Gene shoulders newfound responsibility in taking care of his father right as he wishes to remarry and move to California. Gene takes the audience through vivid snapshots and recollections of his life, now having to relive and confront growing up under his father’s abuse as he struggles to hold the family together.

Director Gus Bottazzi takes the material and sets the stage for a truly powerful, emotional journey with this family in some of the toughest, most vulnerable moments. In a story as character driven as I Never Sang For My Father, the performances are the absolute anchor of the show. The simplistic and homey set forces the audience’s full attention on the stunning performances from the seven-person cast. Every member of the Garrison family is extremely well cast; every actor does a phenomenal job.

Carlucci brings out the life and vulnerability of his character. Gene comes off as a typical everyman, but has a quiet strength about him paired with a strong, compassionate heart.

Throughout the whole show, the audience sees that kindness in Gene in how he handles himself with others, especially his family. Carlucci’s strong character acting comes in full force, whether gently kneeling beside his mother and smiling brightly listening to her worries or desperately pulling in his estranged sister Alice (Rebecca Cebollero) for a hug when they needed it most. It’s those moments when Gene is more than just a character struggling in his life, but someone whose optimism and tenderness shine when he and others need it most.

That’s what makes it so hard to watch Gene grit his teeth as he bears with his father over and over again. That typically kind openness shown in Carlucci’s interactions with others as Gene warps in most scenes he shares with Tom. He becomes totally closed off, coupled with crossed arms or an annoyed expression as he pinches his nose.

Cebollero swoops in halfway through the show as Alice, the strong and compassionate sister determined to not get sucked back into the family’s drama after their father disowned her for marrying a Jew. As a result, Alice’s relationship with Gene is a little strained, and Cebollero and Carlucci do a great job making that connection feel real.

There is one moment toward the end of the show when they silently riff on their father behind his back, and it’s pretty funny to see. When Cebollero later strips away Alice’s composure in a scene when she pleads with Gene to stop letting their father ruin his life, she does a great job at letting her raw emotions take the stage.

Desiato is perfect as Margaret. She just exudes this warmth and kindness in spite of her physical weakness and pain. Desiato brilliantly reflects that through her character acting by shaking and trembling in every scene she’s in.

Margaret bearing through that pain of her ailing body and still wanting to encourage Gene to pursue what he wants in life makes her absence later in the show feel all the more noticeable. It truly feels like there’s this hole in the show once she doesn’t show up anymore.

The absolute highlight is Byrne as Tom, who fully throws himself into the role and encompasses the character’s strong-willed, difficult personality. Byrne is like a chameleon the way he changes from personable and talkative to bitter and aggressive. Byrne brings the energy he needs to make Tom and his abuse feel real and not like a caricature.

The play cascades a final bombastic confrontation between Gene and Tom, and it shows Byrne and Carlucci at their most frightening and vulnerable respectively. It is the culmination of Tom’s pride and cruelty and Gene’s frustration and exhaustion, and it stays with the audience when they leave the show. It is a testament to their acting.

Special shoutout to lighting and sound designer Nick Kaye and lights and sound operator Alex Pontonio, whose work throughout the show also elevates some of the scenes.

Any scene where Gene takes center stage and speaks to the audience is made clear when spotlight centers directly on him. Even though the other characters and scenery are there, he captures the audience’s full attention. When a character dies and the lights totally black out on them, it makes that absence feel sudden and real. It’s little touches like that which elevate the story that much more.

All of this makes the Town Players of Newtown’s production of I Never Sang For My Father stand as a triumph. The fantastic performances make the heart and raw emotion of the story come to the full front, and leaves everyone walking away with something they can relate to. This is a truly powerful play about family, and one that people should treat themselves to go see.

Performances continue to October 13 at The Little Theater, 18 Orchard Hill Road in Newtown. Town Players has the distinction of being the longest running community theater in Connecticut. It is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to bringing live theater and other events to the community. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit newtownplayers.org.

=====

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.