Ron Harner's "Union Station" Pulls into The Broadwater Mainstage in Low Gear
Updated: Feb 3

Thursday, January 30th, Los Angeles, CA
written by Entertainment Editor, Dan Ruth
Trains have long been associated with escape. They have a magical quality, wherein one can just go and leave all the heavy lifting to someone else. You can sleep, dream, eat, drink and in the case of Union Station, you can also paint, sing and hash out life issues along the way. There’s a freedom here, and an element of trust that comes with perpetual forward motion. Ultimately in the end, that same escape or journey will reach its finality and destination in resolution, good or bad. Flying from San Francisco to Chicago, only to board a train back to California, singer/songwriter, C.J. (Mary Simmons) is on the lamb, in an attempt to escape her life. She’s got a lot on her mind, a serious case of writers block and a tour she’s trying to put on hold. Before we even meet C.J., we first meet her Aunt, the earth-mother/painter Nora (Thea Lux) on that same train. Nora knows C.J. well, and through direct address to the audience, she acts as a narrator of sorts, setting the tone for this journey from the start. There are many devices at play in Union Station and from the top of the show, we are told not to discuss C.J.’s partner “Sam” as if we already know these people. Of course, that’s exactly what happens the second the words escape Nora’s lips. C.J. enters, Sam's name is uttered and we’re off on a “musical journey,” which incorporates five songs by folk icon, Joni Mitchell and a final song penned by Simmons at the end of the show.
While we might not "know" these characters in particular, and playwright Ron Harner’s story might not be new, it does have its charms and a great deal of potential. Back on the train, Nora and C.J. order cocktails from bartender Michael (Chad Skiles), who seems to be this play's “Everyman.” Michael appears throughout the show, any time the two women might need something. Sparing spoilers, let's just say that there’s something magical about Michael. Perhaps he represents the manifestation of how all men should behave, or perhaps it’s something more otherworldly, but he does have insight, he has charm and wit, and for the sake of Union Station’s narrative, he also has an acoustic guitar handy at every turn. C.J.’s writers block is perpetuated by her own personal obsession with Joni Mitchell and her music. With C.J. at a loss for words, she seeks out the songs of Joni Mitchell to speak for her. Even with Nora sensing C.J.'s self-sabotage, the two continue to fail at getting to the crux of C.J.'s matter. Who could possibly know C.J.’s conundrum? Michael, of course, he seems to know everything and is quite taken with Nora. In one of the play’s finer moments, Michael and Nora discuss her art and through Michael’s eyes, we finally see Nora’s isolation, disappointment and loneliness, which she seems to wear with pride.
The complexities of Harner’s story continue to unfold, when we finally meet Sam (Charlie Wood) who has been following C. J. all along. At first, he does not seem to be a welcome addition to C.J.’s journey but we quickly realize that there is genuine concern here, and nothing is as it seems. At one point, C.J. literally exclaims, “What kind of crazy train is this?” For this theatergoer, it’s just not crazy enough. While parts of Union Station are genuinely funny and heart-felt, much of the show is uneven and stiff, save for the performances of Thea Lux and Chad Skiles. Both actors seem to possess the chemistry necessary to believe them as characters, they claim the stage and manage to soar higher in the mix. Simmons however, seems to suffer from believability in the roll of a "singer/songwriter/touring artist" for the simple reason I that I couldn’t hear her. Her singing voice, although quite Joni Mitchell-esque (not sure why it needs to be since she's her own performer), remains cloaked and hushed. Charlie Wood in the roll of the sparely written Sam, seems to suffer the same softness issue and his energy seems buried at best. While both performers have their own merits, the over-all “soft and guarded” performances in Union Station might better fit a screen performance, but a sense of stage magic and theatrical energy seem to be running on low here.
It is my hope that "team Union Station” will keep honing, crafting and brightening this experience. And they needn’t worry; Union Station could use a heavy injection of theatricality without risking overkill. There is much potential here, but sometimes less is not more, and Union Station truly left me wanting more answers, more energy and more chemistry. Look for it pulling into a station near you again soon.
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