Loyalty above all

Cops take on family, ethics in the Chicago Dramatists’ performance of “A Steady Rain”

By Kristen Salamon

When I first heard there was a play being put on by the Chicago Dramatists examining the many complicated issues that surround the idea of family, I imagined a very complex production. What I witnessed instead was a very simple storyline, acted out by just two men who explored the institution we hold most precious in stunning form.

“A Steady Rain” was published in the Oct. 15, 2005 edition of Performink and has received workshop productions at the New York Stage & Film at Vassar College and the Barrow Group of New York. All of the readings and developmental productions contributed to the final result, which opened at the Chicago Dramatists theatre in late September and will run through Oct.28.

The set for the play is simple and constant. The two actors move around what looks like an interrogation room with just a table and two chairs as props. The change of scene is indicated only through the actors’ pauses in speech or the sound effects and lighting production. The music that seems to be played at random throughout the play can be distracting and deemed unnecessary, but the rest of the effects are kept simple.

The point of the play is pretty simple: “A Steady Rain” speaks to the institution of family and the ideas of loyalty, betrayal and friendship. But mostly, the play forces one to ask themselves, “How far would you go to protect your family and loved ones?” Then, to go above and beyond that seemingly simple question, playwright Keith Huff takes it one step further by asking, “How far is too far?”

Denny and Joey, the two characters that appear in the 90-minute play, are forced to answer those very questions. The two Chicago beat cops make a few mistakes while on duty. Then things spiral out of control as the tough, excitable Denny makes decision after decision based only on his role as provider and protector of his family. Meanwhile, the more levelheaded Joey finds himself stuck between helping his friend out of some trouble and betraying him all together. The entire time, the one thing the two have in common is their distrust of those higher up the totem pole in the police department.

The dialogue can be difficult to understand in the beginning. In true Chicago policeman style, the two characters talk fast, often with poor grammar and thick accents, making it difficult to keep up. It is only when the two stories begin to diverge and Joey and Denny begin speaking in harsher, more direct tones, that the pace of the play slows to one a non-native Chicagoan can digest quickly. Once this happens, the play is not only easy to follow, but easy to relate to as well. The questions of loyalty and betrayal extend beyond the setting of death and crime scenes and into the very genuine realm of the home.

Randy Steinmeyer (Denny) and Peter DeFaria (Joey) must also be commended for their handling of a very wordy script. Being the only two characters, the pressure was on them to not only grab the attention of the audience, but also to keep it. They did.

While Steinmeyer’s character naturally commanded attention by taking extreme measures, the emotion that registered in the eyes and on the face of Steinmeyer seemed to come from somewhere very real. DeFaria also easily kidnapped my sympathy as he struggled to find the right thing to do. Both actors were able to seamlessly create a sense of urgency and despondency throughout the production.

Regular performances of “A steady Rain” are scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through Oct. 28. Tickets for Fridays and Saturdays go for $28, and Thursdays and Sundays cost $22.

The Chicago Dramatists theatre is located at 1105 W. Chicago Ave., just off the Chicago stop on the Blue Line. Additional information on the play and the Chicago Dramatists can be found online at www.chicagodramatists.org

 

Sitting down with Randy Steinmeyer, who plays Denny in “A Steady Rain”
Age: 47
Status: Married to Heather
Kids: An 11-year-old son, Conrad

Q: How did being a father affect how you related to and played Denny?
A: Not only am I a father, but I was a primary caregiver, which doesn’t relate me to being a cop at all. It relates to how important family loyalty is.

Q: What was it like performing a play that was all dialogues and monologues?
A: It’s the first time I’ve ever done something like this. Keith created something that we call a dual-logue. It’s essentially, you know, people talking straight out to the audience. And then there are like three scenes in the play as well. For the first half of the play, they are pretty much on the same page. But then after, the second half of the play completely diverges. It goes different ways. So they are both battling for whose story is right and whose is sort of not right.

Q: Have you worked with either Keith Huff or Peter DeFaria before?
A: Yes. I actually did a couple readings of this play about two years ago. So I actually helped in the development of the play. I did readings here and about two years ago at Victory Gardens. But I played Joey.

Q: How different was it playing the two roles?
A: Joey is the more intellectual of the two. He really drives the thing. And Denny is the dipshit beat cop who wears his heart on his sleeve, you know? So it’s a completely different take.

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