An early revelation drives the plot to the highly entertaining Take Me Out. Richard Greenberg’s Tony Award winning play from 2003 has been revived on Broadway. I did not see the original. This version is exceptionally well-staged and well-acted even if the occasionally overwrought storyline stretches credibility.
Darren Lemming (Jesse Williams) is the star player of the Empires baseball team. If the Empires are a stand in for the Yankees then Darren is a stand in for Derek Jeter. That level of athletic superstar with massive fan appeal. Coming out as gay while still playing (and at the highest level) is what Mr. Greenberg has dramatized.
No professional baseball player had outed himself when this play was written. The events portrayed are an imagining of what would happen. Darren’s close friend and teammate Kippy Sunderstorm (Patrick J. Adams) discuss the difficulties that this new information will cause in the locker room. You do not have to imagine the tensions which may occur in the showers. There is more than one beefcake scene so the audience experiences both a celebration of muscled physiques as well as naked awkwardness.
Relationships between these athletes drive the drama forward. David’s childhood best friend, Davey Battle (Brandon J. Dirden) is a religious man who plays for a rival team. The announcement fractures their longstanding bond. Most of the other characters are underdeveloped jock clichés but all seem to be realistically inhabited in this world. The team is diverse as are the languages spoken.
One exceptional character, however, is brought to the forefront when the Empires go into a slump. Shane Mungitt (Michael Oberholtzer) is the relief pitcher who is called up to the big leagues and makes a huge impact. Raised in an orphanage he is not the intellectual type. In an interview he makes some racist and homophobic comments. Repercussions ensue.
There is one additional character who is the antithesis of an athlete. Mason Marzac (Jessie Tyler Ferguson) is a nebbish gay accountant who David hires after coming out. He wants to get a handle on his finances and a possible early retirement. Mason may be a stereotype but the character brings outside perspective on this idealized American pastime. His falling in love with the sport as he works with his new client is a charming side story.
Scott Ellis confidently directed this revival. The actors are all excellent. Mr. Oberholtzer’s bad boy is revoltingly compelling. So much so that he received sizable applause at the end of his final scene. The teammate camaraderie between Mr. Williams and the play’s narrator Mr. Adams is thoroughly believable and nicely casual. Mr. Ferguson’s Mason is eminently likable and appealing which keeps the play from tilting too dark.
Take Me Out confronts serious issues amidst the laughs. In this particular period where harsh spotlights are shone on toxic masculinity, the timing of this revival makes sense. While the play posited a scenario two decades ago, this version feels contemporary and still relevant. When a production looks as handsome as this one (Scenic Designer David Rockwell), a visit to the ballpark is highly recommended.
Take Me Out is running at the Helen Hayes Theater through May 29, 2022.