What I liked
What I didn't like
My overall impression
While Alfred Pujols was breaking records this past Saturday, another player was scoring an equally significant home run. Marc Peter Reyna truly hits it out of the park with his stellar portrayal of 1930’s little known, but larger-than-life professional baseball player, Van Lingle Mungo. MUNGO!, a one-man play about one man’s life choices, not always necessarily good ones, and his taking responsibility for same, absolutely shines! Reyna’s consummate performance is nuanced and tender, but also bombastic and exaggerated when needed for this character of all characters.
The play, written by Reyna and James Harmon Brown, an Emmy-award winning television writer, novelist and playwright, is funny, serious, and bittersweet in all the right places. Van breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to his audience, enabling them to empathize even more with his foibles and epiphanies. By the end, we cheer his ultimate success in this game called life.
Running 50 perfect minutes, this play is not to be missed. Do yourself a favor, and don’t miss this catch!
