“I have no idea how to begin this review—absolutely no idea, as there’s so much brain- heady stuff going on. Just wait. Allow ‘Sequence’ to work its truth and reality over you.”

Playwright Arun Lakra’s ‘Sequence’ fleshes out an understanding of good and bad luck. Is it genetic? If it is, can we change that luck? How mutable is our DNA? Are we stuck with the sequence of our DNA at birth, or can it be altered? Is there a God, and if so, what is that role in our destiny? Did God or that god create the universe, or was it the Big Bang Theory? Does DNA control our fate? Which came first – the chicken or the egg?

After mulling over the Thousand Islands Playhouse’s opening night production for a few days, I realized that one doesn’t need a technical understanding of abstract mathematical, philosophical, or ontological concepts to complement seeing this thought-provoking production.

Sometimes, a play simply needs to be experienced.

That’s precisely the case at Gananoque’s Firehall Theatre. Kathryn MacKay finely directs a thoroughly engaging presentation of astutely intellectual and intelligent dialogue, encouraging audiences to think for themselves about what they have just seen.

What a novel idea.

Two clever stories run parallel. When one is in performance, the other remains still.

The first involves Theo (Kevin Bundy), who Time Magazine calls the luckiest man in the world. He has been able to predict a perfect twenty-year record on the Super Bowl coin toss. Along with being the luckiest man in the world, Theo is also the richest because he has bet double or nothing every time.

While giving a lecture on how to gain some of his well-documented luck, Theo meets Cynthia (Krystina Bojanowski), a young woman who has discovered she’s pregnant. Cynthia is quite concerned because she has a genetic eye disease that runs in her family, which can cause blindness. She carries a sealed envelope that contains the baby’s test results, and she wants Theo’s assistance, or his luck, to open the letter and read the results.

The other involves Dr. Guzman (Julie Stewart), a science professor who likes to joke and poke fun. She has lost 92 percent of her vision due to her own genetic issues. Guzman missed it by ‘that much’ (for Maxwell/Get Smart aficionados) in identifying the gene that caused the disease, after which another scientist claims responsibility for the discovery. Guzman is visited by Mr. Adamson (Phoenix Fire), a faithful religious student who has had the bad luck of getting a failing grade on a test because he got all 150 multiple-choice answers wrong.

Steve Lucas utilizes the Firehall Theatre’s performing space to its fullest extent for his clever set and brightly focused lighting designs. This time, the audience sits on both sides of the playing space. A beam crosses diagonally above the stage, which helps delineate the parallel stories' two playing areas.

Both spaces advantageously use rolling ladders and see-through boards. An office desk and chairs for visitors are found on both sides. The checkerboard floor catches the eye. I sat at the far-left end of the auditorium, and it looked as if the checkerboards morphed into diamond shapes in the sloping middle.
Richard Feren has selected some interesting musical compositions that add to the play's mystery.

Kathryn MacKay’s fine direction remains taut. Her four actors passionately deliver clear-headed performances grounded in truth.

As a practicing Catholic, I’m genuinely invested in any play’s question of God’s existence. As the student who receives a failing grade on a complete multiple-choice test, Phoenix Fire’s Mr. Adamson initially questions a divine being’s involvement in what occurred. This spills over into Guzman’s targeted and uncalled-for response. Julie Stewart’s Dr. Guzman counters those ideas head-on, sometimes a tad uncomfortable to hear, but they make great sense concerning God's existence. Stewart and Fire nicely handle the stage business of who’s in control.

Cynthia and Theo’s story catches my eye the most from my seat in the audience since it plays out directly in front of me. Kevin Bundy’s Theo is masterly smarmy, but Krystina Bojanowski’s work as Cynthia shines brightly. Her Cynthia is the math ‘nerd’ that I never was. However, Bojanowski also brings a sultry, seductive look that she uses to her full extent, most noticeably in her direct conversation with Theo. Bundy inherently picks up when Bojanowski does this. It’s quite revealing to note how he deals with it.

Final Thoughts: After the opening night show, I spoke with Arun Lakra briefly and mentioned that I had no idea how to begin my article. Mathematics was never my strongest subject in elementary school. The script references of the Fibonacci sequence go entirely over my head.

Lakra’s response:

“Why not start it [your article] that way?”

As you can see, I did.

That’s when it dawned on me that this brave opening night production got me to think for myself and not get bogged down by number patterns and sequences.

Bravo, Thousand Islands Playhouse, director Kathryn Mackay and playwright Lakra for allowing audiences to do just that.

To think. The theatre can do that exceptionally well.

We need more of that.

Running time: approximately 80 minutes with no interval/intermission.

‘Sequence’ runs until October 27 in the Firehall Theatre, 185 South Street, Gananoque. For tickets visit www.1000islandsplayhouse.com or call the Box Office (613) 382-7020.

THOUSAND ISLANDS PLAYHOUSE presents
‘Sequence’ by Arun Lakra

Directed by Kathryn Mackay
Set and Lighting Design: Steve Lucas
Costume Designer: Jayne Christopher
Music and Sound Designer: Richard Feren
Stage Manager: Rebecca Eamon Campbell
Performers: Krystina Bojanowski, Kevin Bundy, Phoenix Fire, Julie Stewart.