Diversionary Celebrates West Coast Premiere of "Midnight at The Never Get"

A Heart-Wrenching Piece that Manifests the Power of Self-Love

A Blog View by Alejandra Enciso-Dardashti

Bryan Banville and Cody Bianchi. Photo by Talon Reed Cooper

There is no doubt about the transformative power of music. Diversionary's latest production Midnight at The Never Get proves and celebrates this power through a moving 90-minute production with two actors and a live band. From Head Over Heels last year to TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix this year, I have appreciated how Diversionary has staged these musical pieces, taking advantage of the space, and creating a different ecosystem for each one.

Midnight at The Never Get, a West Coast Premiere with Book, Lyrics, and Music by Mark Sonnenblick, was conceived by Sam Bolen, Max Friedman, and Mark Sonnenblick and directed by Stephen Brotebeck. The story starts off with a wonderful silhouette in what seems to be a piano room with the perfect setting, courtesy of Nayeli Bailey's lighting design where the room is dimmed just right with the surrounding light contouring Trevor (Bryan Banville) as he sings The Mercy of Love. Yi-Chien Lee's design for The Never Get stage is authentic using navy blue for a thick curtain that is the backdrop for the lit sign of the bar along a circular entrance on the audience's left that is also lit. The musicians are in the back of the room but still in view, completing the frame. 

Trevor is waiting for his great love Arthur (Cody Bianchi) to return to him. They met in New York while in their twenties during the 1960s when the LGBTQ+ community faced discrimination and persecution. The Never Get is basically the last corner of a bar revamped for Gay artists to perform. Arthur is a gifted composer and during their love, he writes songs for Trevor to sing in a duo act they made to perform at the bar. Trevor's memories are blurry at times when he is narrating to the audience. When you get to purgatory, you can hold on to a memory until you pass on. Trevor has held on to Arthur and is waiting for him to come back and pass on. We see Trevor as he was in his twenties and when reality starts to hit, the actual/current Trevor (Troy Tinker-Elliott) -as he passed- comes in full throttle with a strong, intense rendition of A Little Less To Loose. 

Bryan Banville and Cody Bianchi. Photo by Talon Reed Cooper

The flow is well-weaved between dialogue and song as the story unfolds. Bryan Banville is wonderful as Trevor displaying feelings of frustration and longing. It is no easy task to perform a show with over ten songs in an intimate space and Banville does it with grace and strength. Cody Bianchi is tender and oh-so-sweet in Arthur's beginning. There is a 180 with the character that also carries a painful reveal. Bianchi handles that shift well and while playing the piano beautifully, they create lovely harmonies with Bryan in songs like I cannot Change the Way I Am and When It's Spring Again. Janine Rose's sound design also has good shifts as the music waves go through crisply and there is a difference in sound when Trevor is singing with a hand-held microphone, having that enclosed, small space effect, to when he speaks through the lavalier he has on. The sound is totally different. Troy Tinker-Elliot's appearance is short but mighty with an amazing voice and interpretation that brings the house down.

Both Bryan and Cody look stunning in frac suits courtesy of Claire Peterson's costume design that gets a little oomph with a show jacket switch on stage. Older Trevor rocks a black leather jacket with pants and a printed shirt. There is a contrast between both sets of wardrobes and even though, maybe, later Trevor could have benefited from a more flashy ensemble, the messaging of truth seems clear.

It is always wonderful to have musicians live and in sight. Ron Councell is the Music Supervisor and Vocal Coach accompanied by Saul Gonzalez on trumpet, Amy Kalal on reeds, Robert Johnson on bass, and Rovai Hernandez playing the drums. 

Stephen Brotebeck's direction places all the different elements like music, interpretation, acting, and singing, with care so everything has its moment and makes sense.

The story is powerful and the interpretations activate that power.

Currently playing and extended by popular demand until November 24. For more information please click HERE.