Good Boys And True
Off-Broadway, Play
Theatre: Second Stage Theatre
BOTTOM LINE: If you're easily offended or looking for a fun date night, this probably isn't the best choice for you. But, if you like thought provoking theatre that will spark conversation, check it out.
Good Boys and True, a new play by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, takes place in 1989 at an all boys private prep school in New England. This seemingly serene environment is disrupted when a sex-tape scandal rocks the varsity football team. The mother of the star senior player has to sort out fact from fiction as she tries to get to the bottom of the controversy and protect her ivy-league bound son.
The space at Second Stage Theatre is one of my favorite Off-Broadway houses. It's a really cool place to take in a show and I think it's a good home for this piece. The play moves along pretty quickly and only runs 85 minutes with no intermission. With a few exceptions, all of the performances are great. It's worth seeing the show for Broadway veteran J. Smith-Cameron's portrayal of the conflicted mother that will stop at nothing to do what is best for her son. She really is the glue that holds this slick production together.
I thought that this play was pretty decent. It makes you think about what ultimately makes people good and if we can ever really escape the mistakes of our past. I can't really say too much more about the story because I don't want to ruin anything. It takes very privileged WASPy New England characters and forces them to really examine themselves, how they are perceived by others, and how they treat other people; it will hopefully force the audience to do the same thing. It's not a perfect play by any means, but definitely worth seeing.
(Good Boys And True plays at Second Stage Theatre, 307 West 43rd Street at 8th Avenue. Currently in previews, it officially opens May 19th and runs through June 1st. Showtimes: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 8pm, Thursday - Friday at 8pm. Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. For tickets call the box office: (212) 246-4422...regular priced tickets are $65-$70, Youth Advance (Under 25) are $25, same-day student rush are $15.)