Theater Review: WHAT’s ‘Southern Harmony’ Delves Deep

If he had set it here on Cape Cod, Kevin Fogarty might have set his musical drama in one of those fishing-nets-and-lobster-pots restaurants. Instead, Fogarty (author of book, music, and lyrics) named it “Southern Harmony: A Murder Ballad” and set it in Carthage, Texas, where a big ol’ Coca-Cola cooler and half a pickup truck (where the band plays) lend the sense of place and the turn of the 21st century fixes the time.

The play is on stage at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (WHAT) through Sept. 6.

But the issues in “Southern Harmony” — public presentation of self, ego needs, relations with people close to us, attitudes toward death, justice and mercy — apply to all of us everywhere, every time. That cooler functions not so much as an icon of Texas as it does a symbol of secrets and a Pandora’s box of the ills that can come from them, as the story of a mortician and a philanthropist and their codependent relationship and their community unfolds.

 “Southern Harmony,” though it involves tragedy, is not a grim play. In fact, there are many funny moments in it.

And more importantly, it’s a showpiece of excellence in theater arts. The cast, both as actors and as singers of a far-reaching and challenging libretto, is superb. They’re an ensemble carried by the two principal characters, Bernie Tiede (Todd Buonopane) and Marjorie Nugent (Emmanuelle Zeesman, who, judging from her cast photo, is playing, very effectively, far beyond her natural years). A call out too for the tall and striking Dante Sterling as James Tyler and then defense attorney Skip Tomlinson, with his beautiful singing voice.

In a few instances, the same actor plays two or more roles. Because there is not enough change of costume or other cues for the audience, this casting decision gets confusing.

There’s also a stunning set by Christopher Ostrum that’s as far removed from the equally memorable staging he had designed for WHAT’s previous offering, “Sacco and Vanzetti’s Divine Comedy,” as two sets could be. Lighting by Patricia M. Nichols and sound by Adam Smith enhance the whole thing. Director Sam Scalamoni keeps the production brisk and crisp. 

The fresh and lively music is played by a talented band that consists of Nevada Lozano (music director/conductor/piano), Jo Miller (violin), Robert Bekkers (guitar/banjo) and Chris Cerreto (percussion).

One song in particular comes to mind. Wistful and haunting and beautiful and melodic, “Tristan Da Cunha” describes an Eden far from the difficult realities of life, an island paradise, a Bali Ha’i, to reference another gem from the history of musicals. A seatmate at the performance I attended said, “That song could become a standard.”

As the play wound up and one character observed that “I don’t think that any one of us has any idea of what’s inside of us,” a number of audible “wows” echoed around the theater. Perhaps you and some late-summer guests or year-round friends would like to find out why. You’ll have plenty of after-theater conversation as you compare notes about this absorbing, fast-moving world premiere, maybe over something that’s been chilling in the cooler.