Baby Eyes

Reviewed by Dana Martin
Playwrights Arena at Atwater Village Theatre
Through November 5

RECOMMENDED

It’s 1950’s Baltimore and gods walk among men. Playwright Donald Jolly’s exciting new play Baby Eyes uses an ancient story about Zeus and his young lover Ganymede as a point of departure to explore sexual orientation as it intertwines with the hatred, ignorance and inevitable violence of racial prejudice.

Young, cherub-like Gio (Rudy Martinez) struggles to defend himself against bullies — especially his intimidating father, Sal (Ted Monte), a vicious racist and the biggest bully of them all. As Gio escapes his perpetrators, he happens upon the God-like, towering Tremaine (Melvin Ward). Tremaine is a strong, warm and inviting presence and he knows how to fight. He offers to help Gio learn self-defense and soon Gio is entranced. A friendship blossoms between the two, much to the misguided fury of Sal, whose acts of hatred and bigotry echo hell’s fury.

Rudy Martinez leads the ensemble with earnest fragility as our unlikely and tender-hearted hero. His Gio is both vulnerable and doggone determined. Ted Monte’s Sal is a relentlessly terrorizing presence. Even when he’s trying his best to be tender, he’s still scary. Melvin Ward packs a powerful punch as the lovely and troubled Tremaine. A Greek chorus (James Kaemmerling, Dennis Renard and Jason Caceres) narrates the play’s action effectively and efficiently, providing solid support. They remain onstage for the play’s duration — observing, commenting, occasionally stepping into the action to play peripheral characters.

Playwright Donald Jolly’s script is an intriguing blend of the ancient and the contemporary. The story is fresh and necessary. The latter half of the play leans toward melodrama — but then again Greek mythology is epically dramatic. Jon Lawrence Rivera’s crisp, clean direction gets the most out of the space and the performers. Projection design by Katerina Pagsolingan is minimal yet effectual. Christopher Scott Murillo’s set design is appropriately sparse and delightfully versatile. Jesse Mandapat’s sound design is playful and poignant. Costume design by Mylette Nora artfully suggests the era and wisely leaves much to the imagination.

Baby Eyes is a fascinating re-imagining of the relationship between the Greek god Zeus and young Ganymede. The story navigates the dynamics of several intimate relationships affected by ingrained racism, misogyny, sexual orientation, gender identity and power. Underscored by the painfully beautiful bellows of Billie Holiday, Baby Eyes draws you in and then makes you hurt.

Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Atwater Village; Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m.; Mon., 8 p.m.; through Nov. 5. (800) 838-3006 or playwrightsarena.org. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.