“Dear Sugar: When is it right to take that big step and say ‘I love you’?” This question, along with many more, is answered in Bravo! Theatre’s “Tiny Beautiful Things.” The play is based on a book by Cheryl Strayed, a compilation of real letters she received and answered in her role as an online advice columnist.
In this production we see Cheryl Strayed, aka Sugar (M.A. Bruneau), get recruited to be the advice columnist. We then hear from a number of her letter writers (Rob Ferron, Leatha Martin, Marcy Weiland, Charles Zeldenrust). The play is composed only of monologues—the letter writer asking a question followed by Sugar giving an answer. This is a bit of a dry formula for a play, with limited genuine interaction between the actors. Director David Gassner keeps the action moving as much as possible despite this limitation. The advice seekers enter and exit the theater through different entrances. In some scenes, we see the question or answer acted out as the monologue is delivered. Lighting and sound are both done well to help the audience change gears as the play moves to a new letter.
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