Tony and Emmy Award-winner Jason Alexander makes his Chicago stage debut in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s “Judgment Day.”
Courtesy of Liz Lauren
“Judgment Day” — 2.5 stars
Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s “Judgment Day” has a not-so-secret weapon, and his name is Jason Alexander.
Best known as “Seinfeld’s” George Costanza, Alexander stars as Sammy Campo, a corrupt lawyer facing eternal damnation who tries to finagle his way out of hell by doing good without actually being good. A charismatic comedic actor with excellent timing, Alexander delights in his Chicago stage debut, delivering playwright Rob Ulin’s one-liners and director Moritz von Stuelpnagel’s stage business like the pro he is.
Daniel Breaker, right, plays well-meaning Father Michael and Jason Alexander plays a shyster scheming his way into heaven in Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s premiere of “Judgment Day” by Rob Ulin.
Courtesy of Liz Lauren
But the real secret weapon in this examination of faith and morality is Daniel Breaker. He plays Father Michael, a priest suffering a crisis of faith, whose counsel Sammy seeks while working to accumulate “heaven points.” Animated by genuine sincerity, Breaker’s conflicted Father Michael is more than a comedic foil to Alexander’s sleazy Sammy, he’s the play’s moral center: a straight-man with soul. They’re top-notch. So are their castmates.
And Ulin poses provocative questions: Do the ends justify the means? Are good deeds sufficient, or must they be accompanied by good intentions? Is belief in a deity even warranted?
But overall, “Judgment Day,” by TV writer/showrunner Ulin (“The Middle,” “Roseanne,” “Malcolm in the Middle”), underwhelms. Predictability is partly to blame. The play feels like a sitcom (its ending is never really in doubt), and like many sitcoms, it’s propelled by a steady stream of setups and punchlines. Don’t get me wrong, “Judgment Day” — which streamed online as a staged reading four years ago — has its moments. Some of the funniest scenes are between Alexander and Breaker, and Breaker and Michael Kostroff (terrific as the Monsignor, whose blessing Father Michael seeks).
In fact, Kostroff’s Monsignor earned one of the biggest (and self-aware) laughs while assuring Father Michael that everyone experiences doubt.
“I only believe what I believe because of the club I was born into,” he says. “Thank God I was born into the club that was right.”
The special effects, however, are meager. Set against a faux stained glass depicting Lady Justice (blindfolded, holding a sword and scales), the sets feel too small for the space. That said, set designer Beowulf Boritt’s off-kilter interiors serve as a canny representation of Sammy’s skewed worldview.
Sammy (Jason Alexander) tries to make amends with his ex-wife Tracy (Maggie Bofill) in the premiere of Rob Ulin’s “Judgment Day,” running through May 26 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
We meet Alexander’s conniving, ferociously selfish Sammy informing a client he has closed a deal on an overseas sweat shop where child workers produce fast fashion. Moments later, as his secretary Della (a nicely sardonic Olivia D. Dawson) informs him of his latest ethical violations, Sammy suffers a heart attack and encounters Sister Margaret (Candy Buckley), his Sunday school teacher turned angel, who informs him of the torments that await him in hell.
The crafty attorney locates a loophole, gets himself resuscitated and sets about earning himself a place in heaven.
“I lived a sinful, disgusting, really fun life and now I gotta make up for it,” he tells Father Michael (Breaker) while enlisting his help. “What is the absolute rock bottom, least amount of good I gotta do?”
To that end, Father Michael introduces him to Edna (Meg Thalken), an elderly, recently widowed parishioner about to lose her home thanks to a heartless insurance adjuster (Joe Dempsey). While scheming on her behalf, Sammy also tries to make amends with his ex-wife Tracy (Maggie Bofill does what she can with a two-dimensional character), who he abandoned 10 years earlier, and Casper (Ellis Meyers of Grayslake), the 9-year-old son he never met.
If Sammy has a saving grace, concern for his son’s welfare may be it. A poignant scene late in the second act suggests as much, when Sammy reveals his true, vulnerable self, the first step on the road to redemption.
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Location: Chicago Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier, 800 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, (312) 595-5600, chicagoshakes.com
Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 1 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday through May 26
Running time: About 2 hours, with intermission
Tickets: $45 and up
Parking: $21 in the Navy Pier garage with CST validation
Rating: For adults, contains adult language, sexual content and religious references