NEIL SIMON IN PALM SPRINGS WITH AN AGENDA
Jon Robin Baitz’ Broadway drama Other Desert Cities —which opens this week at Cygnet Theatre—depicts a crisis of apparent betrayal and imminent exposure that besets the Wyeth clan, a wealthy Jewish family sheltered in the oasis of Palm Springs. Viewed one way, Baitz’s Pulitzer Prize finalist is very much a two-act family fight. But, as Arthur Miller brilliantly argued, these squabbles are never neat or safely contained within four walls: In his masterful All My Sons (1947), choices made to protect a family can bring planes down from the sky. The fissures cracked open by family feuds can tear through society.
Baitz tells the tale of Brooke (Melanie Lora Meltzer), a prodigal daughter who returns to her conservative parents’ Palm Springs home at Christmastime. With her is a manuscript which chronicles the loss of her older brother to suicide, the blame for which is placed on her folks, Lyman (Alan Rust), an actor-turned-ambassador during the Reagan administration, and Polly (Rosina Reynolds), an ex-screenwriter-turned-Republican stereotype. Also joining Brooke is her genial brother Trip (Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger), a reality television producer, and Aunt Silda (Debra Wanger), Polly’s kooky alcoholic sister. Everyone in the play drinks, smokes pot, or pops pills as they spurt some interesting political familial rhetoric and clever one-liners: it’s Neil Simon in Palm Springs with an agenda.
(back) Alan Rust, Melanie Lora, Rosina Reynolds, (front) Geoffrey Ulysses Geissinger, Debra Wanger will star in Cygnet's Other Desert Cities. Photo by Karli Cadel
“In Other Desert Cities, we dive into a captivating family saga that explores deep themes of history and betrayal when a hidden secret comes to light,” says Director Sean Murray. “Experiencing this intense and humorous play is like unveiling layers of past secrets and regrets, revealing that ‘things may not always be as they seem.’ It’s filled with sharp, urbane characters grappling with their histories in a way that makes for truly great storytelling.”
In addition to direction by Murray, the creative team for Cygnet’s production of Other Desert Cities includes: Scenic design by Andrew Hull, sound design by George Ye, lighting design by Joshua Heming, props design by Heather Larsen, costume design by Brooke Nicole Kesler, wig and makeup design by Peter Herman, and stage management is Jared Blake Halsell.
The play dives deep into the tensions within the family as the characters grapple with issues of loyalty, guilt, and differing political ideologies. It explores the generational divide, the effect of trauma on families, and the challenge of reconciling the past with the present. It’s full of sharp dialogue, dark humor, and emotional moments as it builds to a revealing climax, forcing the Wyeths to confront their pasts and their relationships with each other. Ultimately, it asks how far we’re willing to go to protect those we love, and what happens when the truth comes to light.
photo by Karli Cadel
Other Desert Cities
Cygnet Theatre Company
Old Town Theater, 4040 Twiggs St.
2 hours with one intermission
Wed-Sat at 7; Sat & Sun at 2
Feb 5 – Mar 2, 2025
for tickets (starting at $34), call 619.337.1525 or visit Cygnet