Power outage brings epiphanies in 'Fly By Night' at Hillbarn

 

Daphne (Kaylee Milteren) likes the script by Joey (Matt Herrero). (Photo by Mark Kitaoka)

Struck by a massive power outage, a large swath of the eastern United States and Canada was plunged into darkness for up to 13 hours on Nov. 9, 1965.

The three creators of “Fly by Night” go back to the year leading up to that event.

In the production by Hillbarn Theatre & Conservatory, the Narrator (Cathleen Riddley) introduces the principal characters and the ways their lives come to be intertwined.

They are the just-widowed Mr. McClam (Lawrence-Michael C. Arias), who’s obsessed with “La Traviata” and carries a record player with him, and his young adult son, Harold (Chava Suarez), in New York City.

Harold works at a sandwich shop managed by Crabble (Sarah Jebian).

There also are South Dakota sisters Daphne (Kaylee Miltersen), an aspiring actress; and Miriam (Markaila Dyson), who’s fascinated by the stars.

Daphne decides to follow her dreams and go to New York City. Miriam reluctantly agrees to go with her. Both get entry-level jobs while Daphne goes to auditions, only to be rejected each time.

In the meantime, she happens to meet Harold in the smoky club where he’s playing guitar and singing. The two hit it off and fall in love.

Then she gets what she hopes will be her big chance when a playwright, Joey Storms (Matt Herrero), offers her a role in the play he hopes to open in the fall.

Complications develop when Joey declares Daphne his muse and when Harold and Miriam meet and fall in love despite her reluctance to interfere with Daphne’s relationship with him.

When the power outage hits, each character has an epiphany of sorts, but after a tragedy, Daphne and Harold are left to ponder what’s next.

The show was created by Will Connolly, Michael Mitnick and its conceiver, Kim Rosenstock, all of whom had a hand in the book, music and lyrics.

As directed by Cara Phipps, the cast excels at creating believable, vulnerable characters. Riddley as the Narrator plays a variety of characters such as Daphne and Miriam’s mother and others.

However, the show probably could benefit from some judicious pruning. For example, the scene between Miriam and a fortune teller (Riddley) goes on too long.

Musical director Diana Lee conducts the small band, seated onstage but mostly out of sight, and oversees the singing, which is good.

The production is well served by Sarah Phykitt’s simple, flexible set, Pamila Gray’s lighting, Jeff Mockus’ sound and Stephanie Dittbern’s costumes.

Running about two hours and 45 minutes with an intermission, “Fly by Night” will continue through March 23 at Hillbarn Theater, 1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd., Foster City.

For tickets and information, call (650) 349-6411 or visit www.hilbarntheatre.org.