What I liked
The relationship between our protagonist Liv (Taylor Bostwick) and her long-time friends Riley (Brendan Scannell) and Ava (Caty Gordon) stands in stark, perfect relief to the painfully realistic debates staged between Liv and the troubling professor (Carl McCrackin). When student newspaper editor-in-chief Joel (Chris Baker) gets added to the ensemble mix as a potential ally to the students, things really kick into high gear. It’s this great balance of humor and pathos, expertly imagined by scribe Naomi Brodkin and expertly achieved by the performers in concert with their director Irene Marquette, that makes “Stand Down The March” so watchable.
What I didn't like
Nada.
My overall impression
Though the subject matter can feel a bit intimidating as fodder for a night out, don’t be fooled: playwright Naomi Brodkin’s “Stand Down The March” is a slyly effective drama. “March” tackles the impact of a very serious subject — an accredited professor who also happens to be a Holocaust denier — through the lens of the college student who combats his influence on campus with the support and love of her eccentric and intriguing pals. The play’s biggest strength is the way it stitches together the story of these evolving and deepening friendships concordantly with the intriguingly nuanced portrait of the disturbed (and disturbing) professor figure.
