Tony Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day, co-produced by Nu Sass with Pinky Swear, is a blisteringly theatrical meditation on the moment in which we may or may not find ourselves. Kushner’s play originally opened in workshop form (directed by Kushner himself) in 1985 and was later produced at the Public Theater in 2019. This production is a revival of Nu Sass’ 2015 version, which was Helen Hayes recommended. It is Weimar Berlin in the early 1930s. At the center of the action are five friends in a cozy apartment, referred to as a place of “relative safety.” Some are Communists, some not. Some are artists, some not. All face the possibility that within a short time, a historic crime — the rule of the Nazi party — will begin. They are dancing on a volcano. Karen Lange as Agnes Eggling in Nu Sass Productions and Pinky Swear Productions’ ‘A Bright Room Called Day.’ Photo by William T. Gallagher Production. Here is Baz (Joshua Aaron Poole), a gay man with passionate views about the role of sex in politics, talking to his friends Annabella Gotchling (Aubri O’Connor), a committed Communist, and his hostess, Agnes (Karen Lange): GOTCHLING: …When Hitler reveals himself as just another flunky for German capital, the working class will abandon him. AGNES: They’ll destroy him. GOTCHLING: Absolutely! BAZ: Economic analysis! So antiseptic! So sterile! The fascists don’t try to make sense. They abandon morality, money, justice — Hitler simply offers a lot of very confused and terrified and constipated people precisely what they want, a means of release. These people are far beyond caring whether Hitler is a socialist or not. They’re in love with the shine on his boots, they want a fatherly boot heel to lick, they want him to say “Daddy loves his children, now go and kill for me.” They’re completely deaf to your hairsplitting, pseudoscience and jolly-comrade goodwill. They want bloody things. GOTCHLING: Baz, you’re a slob, you’re an intellectual slob. BAZ: Ouch. And I thought I was being marvelously eloquent, penetrating to the very heart of the Mystery of the Decade. Three of the five are in the film industry. Two are not. Agnes (Karen Lange) is a character actress; her lover Husz, a Hungarian exile (Zach Brewster-Geisz), is a cinematographer. Paulinka (Amber Gibson) is a possible star. Annabella Gotchling (Aubri O’Connor) is an active Communist and a graphic artist. Baz (Joshua Aaron Poole) works for the Berlin Institute for Human Sexuality, which is modeled on the Institute for Sexual Research, founded by Magnus Hirschfeld (1868–1935) in 1919.  This organization pioneered research and treatment for all types of sexual minorities, including what today would be called transgender individuals. Hirschfeld and the Institute were portrayed in the second season of the Amazon series Transparent (2014–19). Hailey LaRoe’s projections, accompanied by the sound of a newsreel, contain disturbing historical images — Hitler pontificating, children making the Nazi salute, the Reichstag fire. Stylish and arresting, they remind us of the very real tensions outside. Although Berlin at this time is a magnet for artists, intellectuals, and anyone who wants to get ahead, there is rising unemployment and violence. And the Nazis, despite a setback or two, are gaining power and influence. Babylon Berlin (2017–present, MHz Choice) and Cabaret (the 1972 film and numerous stage productions) provide hypnotic portraits of this period, but Kushner has his very own, less-romanticized approach. TOP: Julia Klavans as Zillah Katz, Karen Lange as Agnes Eggling, and Nancy Blum as Die Alte; ABOVE: Zach Brewster-Geisz as Vealtninc Husz, Karen Lange as Agnes Eggling, and Amber Gibson as Paulinka Erdnuss, in Nu Sass Productions and Pinky Swear Productions’ ‘A Bright Room Called Day.’ Photos by William T. Gallagher Production. Lange’s Agnes is warm, charming, and emotionally centered. Although she flirts with Communism, she seems mainly concerned with the people she cares about. Lange’s moving portrayal of her humor, her strength, and her natural empathy reminds us that her home has been a kind of refuge for them all — although, like most consolations in the play, this one will not last forever. She and Brewster-Geisz as Husz have a playful but searingly honest relationship. He knew Trotsky, misses Hungary, and valiantly defends his convictions. Brewster-Geisz is most formidable in his indignation when an opportunity to assassinate Hitler is bungled by a friend. His reverence for Trotsky sustains him — but for how long? Amber Gibson’s Paulinka is appealingly theatrical, but her focus is psychoanalysis rather than Communism. Her conversations with Agnes cover a variety of topics, from communism to psychoanalysis, to despotic gossip. Hitler’s niece, with whom he was obsessed, committed suicide — as did Stalin’s wife. Gibson’s monologue, in which she sees the Devil in the guise of a small black poodle, is a highlight of the production. A running commentary is provided by a Reagan-era figure, Zillah (Julia Klavans), with anarcho-punk tendencies. When we first meet her, she is sending a letter to Reagan, enraged by his unconscionable neglect of the AIDS crisis. As her anger grows, conspiracy theories preoccupy her more and more. Klavans’ lively touch provides a particularly vivid counterpoint to the main story. In the end, however, her heartbreak is very real. Communist Party functionaries Rosa Malek (Leah Ly) and Emil Traum (Zack Walsh) aren’t happy with the skit Agnes provides for the local Party. In it, a plastic Red Baby flies around and crashes, followed by the exhortations “RED WORKERS! RED BERLIN!…ARISE! REVOLUTION! NOW!” Under pressure from Moscow, the new imperative must be the Defense of Soviet Russia rather than the Newborn Proletariat Revolution in Germany. Ly and Walsh are convincingly insincere as handlers who wish to re-educate, but certainly not discourage, a new and enthusiastic volunteer. Later, Ly is touching as she asks for Agnes’ help and offers some assistance of her own. There is also Die Alte (Nancy Blum), a mysterious and possibly ghostly older woman who frequents Agnes’ apartment, reminding her of the eternal presence of raw human suffering. Blum is especially effective when she delivers some long-forgotten poetry: DIE ALTE: Just before I fall asleep, After God has heard my prayers, Things below begin to creep: The penny man is on the stairs. Agnes gives her a roll. She complains that it’s a little stale. Aubri O’Connor’s Gotchling is the most dedicated Communist of them all. She puts up leaflets, searches for apartments, and perseveres even when it seems all hope is lost. Her passion is striking, as is her insight into the value of simply doing your job when crisis hits, whatever you conceive that job to be. Baz (Joshua Aaron Poole) has wit, creativity, and a flair for the dramatic. Perhaps the showiest of all the friends, he is underneath a deeply caring man. Poole’s Baz has many startling and comic moments, but he is at his best when he accepts the new reality. because he has no other choice. John Stange’s entrance as Herr Gottfried Swetts is a remarkable coup-de-théâtre.To avoid giving anything away, I will simply say that I was utterly terrified by his unforgettable performance. John Stange as Herr Gottfried Swetts in Nu Sass Productions and Pinky Swear Productions’ ‘A Bright Room Called Day.’ Photo by William T. Gallagher Production. The set design by Reuben Rosenthal is detailed, visually appealing, and versatile. Books, displays of china, a dining table, and a settee suggest that this is the residence of a woman who feels grounded and secure, in the midst of a life that is anything but. The projections by Hailey LaRoe include announcements of key political events such as Hitler’s ascension to Chancellor and the Nazi book burnings. We hear the sound of the newsreel as they float eerily above the set. The sound design by Lex Allenbaugh contains a variety of music — I thought I heard snatches from “Deutschland über Alles” and some from Brecht’s Threepenny Opera. There is some wonderfully ominous music when Herr Swett appears. The lighting (E-Hui Woo), costumes (Ashlynne Ludwig), and props (Katherine Ross) design all contribute to the quality of the experience. The dramaturgy by Jean Freedman includes cuts that allow Kushner’s script to shine. Director Aria Velz has successfully drawn inspiration from German expressionist cinema, and she calls the play “an American take on the German moral drama.” Her version of A Bright Room Called Day has both conceptual unity and unique theatrical style. Do the characters’ efforts fail? Probably. Are they flawed? Definitely. But it is impossible not to honor the dignity of their attempts. It is difficult to imagine what it must have been like in Berlin on the day Hitler became Chancellor. But this is a stunning and necessary production. It would be a crime to miss it. Running Time: Two hours and 15 minutes, with one 10-minute intermission. A Bright Room Called Day plays through November 16, 2024, presented by Nu Sass Productions in association with Pinky Swear Productions performing at the DC Arts Center, 2438 18th St NW, Washington, DC. Tickets, which may be purchased online, are $30, general admission; $60, Date Night (2 tickets + 2 drinks + 2 snacks); $10, industry; and Pay What You Will, all performances, anyone. COVID Safety: Masks are encouraged but not required. Select mask-required performances will be scheduled. A Bright Room Called Day Written by Tony Kushner Directed by Aria Velz CAST Agness Eggling: Karen Lange Zillah Katz: Julia Klavans Paulinka Erdnuss: Amber Gibson Anabella Gotchling: Aubri O’Connor Vealtninc Husz: Zach Brewster-Geisz Gregor “Baz” Baswald: Joshua Aaron Poole Die Alte: Nancy Blum Rosa Malek: Leah Ly Emil Traum: Zack Walsh Herr Gottfried Swetts: John Stange UNDERSTUDIES Julia Williams (Agnes), Marissa Liotta (Zillah), Matt Leyendecker (Husz), Jillian Riti (Paulinka), Erik Harrison (Baz), Wendy Renee Cade (Die Alte/Gotchling), Dom Ocampo (Truam/Malek) PRODUCTION Stage Manager: Sophia Menconi Producers: Amber Gibson, Aubri O’Connor & Karen Lange Production Manager: Ileana Blustein CREW Set Designer/Tech Director: Reuben Rosenthal Sound Designer: Lex Allenbaugh Lighting Designer: E-Hui Woo Projection Designer: Hailey LaRoe Costume Designer: Ashlynne Ludwig Props Designer: Katherine Ross Fight & Intimacy Choreographer: Bess Kaye & Jillian Riti Dramaturg/Historical Advisor: Jean Freedman SEE ALSO: Five brides for five brothers…not. (‘The Pliant Girls’ reimagines sisterhood.) October 22, 2024 Theatre Prometheus and Nu Sass Productions offer a modern take on the ancient tragedy ‘The Suppliants.’ By LISA TRAIGER