A Utah Theater Review by Joel Applegate
At its heart, The Cross and the Switchblade is a story about belonging. The choices we make about where we want to belong are the hinges upon which the plot turns. Since its publication in 1963, this story has been a staple among inspirational modern Christian parables. The story is based on the experiences of a Christian preacher, David Wilkerson, and his encounters with the gangs of New York in the 1950’s and 60’s.
Nicky Cruz, played by Alexis Larett, began life in Puerto Rico under parents who rejected him as a devilish child. David Wilkerson, played by Jesse Hayes, is a small-town Pennsylvania preacher searching with his wife, Gwen, for a congregation and a home. The eventual meeting of these two lives forms the narrative of the play.
Director Annie Fields’ adaptation from different sources begins the story by contrasting in alternate scenes the lives of Preacher Dave with the youthful Nicky. It is a very effective way to introduce us to the story, and in fact, her adaptation has rendered a really great script. She has skillfully updated Cruz’s and Wilkerson’s stories to the 21st century. The production opens with a catchy rap based on the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Philippians and uses multimedia very effectively, with graphics screens on either side of the very wide stage. The rap opener was apt for this company’s particular audience, and did a great job of setting the tone for the production. For the venue, it’s very well mounted with good use of the space. The lighting, costumes and the set (all designed by Ms. Fields) and some great music choices during transition sequences are all very good. They did a great job selecting scenes and then projecting them on the back wall of the set. It was quite effective at putting the audience in the space. As good as Fields’s script is, I might suggest editing may be in order for some of the longer expositions, for instance with Preacher Dave, where I think the story would have flowed better if told using more dramatic scenes.
I saw this play with a very receptive opening night audience who, I felt, applauded the message more than the performances. Not quite everything had gelled yet, but the cast’s stiffness was overcome by their earnestness. The gang members’ attitudes were convincing, though the execution of some of their scenes was a little hesitant. Both lead actors seemed to take a while to warm up, but by the second act they showed conviction, passion and some dramatic chops. Jesse Hayes’ acting style as Preacher Dave was a little more presentational, rather than acting out the story. I might caution Larett in Nicky’s role, that even with a microphone, some of his words weren’t heard, especially when he dropped the end of his sentences, and I didn’t always catch everything. These actors clearly understood their characters, and Larett, especially, brought real presence to his role. However, since it was noted in the program that Larett was himself “going down the wrong road” before his own personal conversion, I’d like to have seen him bring more vigor to his character from the start.
There were others in smaller roles that gave us some nice moments. Kylee Ogzewalla, as the preacher’s wife, Gwen, gave us a passionate performance, rather than merely presenting a character, and showed real acting ability. Moise Tovar, in multiple roles, played Nicky’s dad with harrowing conviction. Little Nicky and a slightly older youthful version of the character, are played with charm and heart by brothers, Mateo and Victor Hollenbach.
Particularly notable in this production was some great choreography by Gev Manoukian and Lindsay Ann Bateman. At a couple of points during the gang sequences, representative dances were performed. It was a great idea. The good choreography was entertaining to watch and metaphorically clear. Well done.
Naturally in a play about gangs you might expect some violence. Nicky’s gang initiation scene was handled very well with good use of a strobe light depicting the physical and emotional pain. There were just a couple of instances of some rough language, which were actually so mild that I barely noticed.
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But this play is about way more than gangs. As noted before, here is a play whose overall theme is about belonging and the urge to belong. Acceptance into a street gang may be the only alternative for some, but it is ultimately destructive. When you belong to a community of faith, you discover that acceptance means nurturing. All people of faith will certainly enjoy this show.
Calvary Chapel features a nice open area with comfortable seating in its large sanctuary. Thank you to Emily in the bookstore who graciously greeted me and arranged for a photo to be taken with the director after the performance.
The main character of this play, Rev. David Wilkerson, founded Teen Challenge, an organization for teens in New York in 1958. Independent chapters are now active throughout the United States. All the proceeds (not just the profits) of this production will go to New Hope House, a Teen Challenge house that is based in Tooele, Utah. You can read more about New Hope House here.
Coming to play I did not know what to expect. And as a former gang member did not know what to expect. My best friend was the main actor, I of course was going to be a bigger critic than the rest of the crowd. I was plesenty surprised by how deeply I was effected by this performance. It was very inspiring, and I will forever be touched by this amazing story . Thank you for this unforgettable life changing experience . Thank you Alexis and Cast . Praise God <3