It’s hard to say which is more incredible: "The Last Session," or the story of the man who wrote it.
The year was 1996, and Steve Schalchlin’s deathwatch had begun. Ravaged by AIDS, half-blind and strapped to tubes, he could barely hold his head up. But Schalchlin summoned all his energy to write a musical love letter to his life partner, Jim. That turned into "The Last Session," the story of a dying songwriter named Gideon who gathers up his best singer pals for, yes, one last recording session. But they’re unaware of his plan to commit suicide the next day.
But guess what? The (real) dying composer never died. Schalchlin lives, as does his snarky-turned-sentimental, contemporary- gospel musical, which was warmly received off-Broadway in 1998 and is now being impressively staged by Theatre Group.
This is clearly more than just a musical. It’s life-affirming and potentially life-changing theater.
Director Samuel Wood has reunited the remarkable Jody Wells (Gideon) with Carla Kaiser Kotrc, both of whom performed in the Denver premiere in 1999. They are now paired with the estimable Laura Chavez, David Ballew and young Rob Riney, who delivers a breakthrough performance as Buddy, a condemning, confounded younger version of Gideon.
Vicki (Kotrc) and Tryshia (Chavez) are dueling divas who love Gideon as much as they loathe one another. He’s tricked them into showing up together. Enter Baptist Buddy, an eager Gideon fanboy who’s pulled a fast one of his own to get in on this gig.
But the boy faces a real ideological and theological crisis when he discovers his songwriting idol is gay and dying. Buddy can either flee in disgust or stay, sing the man-love songs he’s been paid to sing, and use this time to wage war for this poor sinner’s soul.
Here’s the rub: As real as Schalchlin’s life story is, and as necessary as its retelling is, his tearful musical is something of theatrical contrivance, starting with the structural premise that 10 songs are to be laid down on this one night.
Add to that the unlikely circumstances that have brought Gideon face to face with this likable homophobe on this, his final night on Earth — an obvious device to allow for an ongoing biblical and political debate about homosexuality. And the female feud that’s obviously there only for its inevitable reconciliation. And the overacting the regrettably unsubtle script all but demands after Gideon’s suicide scheme becomes known.
On paper, this is eye-rolling stuff. Easy pickings.
But here’s another rub: It works, surprisingly and wonderfully, because it’s grounded in such truth and truthful performances. Because it’s so heartfelt, passionate and honest.
It’s fun to watch the divas
Jody Wells plays Gideon, a gay songwriter dying of AIDS, in Steve Schalchlin’s "The Last Session" at Theatre Off Broadway. .. -->IPTC: Photos by McBoatPhotography.com Theatre Group s The Last Session at Theatre Off Broadway Jody Wells-->(McBoatPhotography )
snap (as in fingersnap), to see their swagger turn to seething and finally sadness. But the heart of the piece is expressed in Gideon’s moving love songs, with Wells ..boards (he’s from the Metropolitan Church of the Rockies’ band "The Back Pew"). These are all confident, capable singers, and these often moving songs give each the chance to get all pop-gospel guttural.
But the ultimate success of "The Last Session" hinges on how the dialogue between Gideon and Buddy, both spiritual preacher’s sons on vastly different journeys, leads to real understanding. What infuses their debate with humanity is Buddy’s willingness to feel conflict and confusion — and keep talking; to still admire the sinner he sees before him.
Their actual debate is, of course, biblically based, so much of it is redundant. But when Buddy pulls out the inevitable, "I’m trying to love the sinner and hate the sin," it’s refreshing to hear Gideon’s response: "I’m trying to love the bigot and hate the bigotry." The underlying idea of the destructive power of celestial retribution resonates.
By the time Gideon sings, "At least I know what’s killing me," it’s pretty clear who’s saving whom.
Even though we never meet the man all this music is being made for, "The Last Session" celebrates a committed relationship that has stood the test of time and needs no one’s outside validation.
Gay or straight is immaterial. "The Last Session" has emotional tentacles that will inevitably snare anyone who has sat beside the bed of a loved one, waiting for them to die.
John Moore: 303-954-1056 or jmoore@denverpost.com
"The Last Session" ***1/2 (out of four stars)
Pop-gospel AIDS musical Presented by Theatre Group at Theatre Off Broadway, 1124 Santa Fe Drive. 2 hours. Through April 19. 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, some Thursdays. $22-$30. 303-777-3292 or go to theatre group’s home page .