A MUSICAL THAT CURVES IN CONCENTRIC CIRCLES
Fly by Night, an affecting chamber musical which premiered in 2014 at Playwrights Horizon, has been described as a “darkly comic rock-fable,” and that’s about as accurate as any attempt to define this quirky show. With a book, music, and lyrics by Kim Rosenstock, Will Connolly, and Michael Mitnick, the musical blends folk, rock, and theatrical storytelling into a sweeping tale of fate, love, and loss. Set in 1965 New York during the Northeast blackout, it revolves around a love triangle between two sisters and a young deli worker. Fantasticks-like in its quirky eccentricities, the time-shifting musical intrepidly chronicles their shifting fortunes. But that only scratches the surface of this eerie, sometimes maddening, and wholly unique musical that—even at over 160 minutes—holds our attention at Hillbarn Theatre.
Cathleen Riddley as the Narrator
Overly metaphorical, the sometimes contrived (as in magically realistic) happenings are unlikely but not unlikable under Cara Phipps‘ direction; she keeps her directorial eye on the finish line, though where exactly that is remains a mystery as the story weaves forward, backward, and sideways. Our guide through this winding journey is the all-knowing Narrator (Cathleen Riddley), whose wisdom belies her years. Full of portents, epiphanies, symbols, talismans, “intersecting paths,” and coincidences, the sweet, if overly shaped, plot is nearly narrated to death.
Lawrence-Michael C. Arias as Mr. McClam
The show’s fractured timeline is part of its charm—and its challenge. It begins with the death of Harold’s mother—wife of the sorrowful Mr. McClam (Lawrence-Michael C. Arrias). While cleaning out her closet, Harold (Chava Suarez)—a quiet sandwich maker, wanna-be marine biologist and songwriter—stumbles upon a La Traviata record and his mother’s old guitar. His father tries to share why the record is so significant—later telling us why in “Cecily Smith,” a memory ballad—but Harold is too enchanted by the guitar to listen. Five months later, thanks to the Narrator, he’s performing with it in a smoky club (“Circles in the Sand”)—until the Narrator cuts him off mid-song and decides to go backward because he’s skipped a large part of the story. So we rewind to introduce Daphne (Kaylee Miltersen), who lives in South Dakota but wants to move to New York to become an actress. Her mother only agrees to this if she takes her reluctant and literally star-gazing sister, Miriam (Markaila Dyson) with her.
Miriam (Markaila Dyson) and Daphne (Kaylee Miltersen)
The cast of Fly by Night at Hillbarn Theatre
Then there’s the perpetually grumpy Crabble (Sarah Jebian), the no-nonsense owner of a sandwich shop, who is deeply vexed by a sign above her counter reading SANDWICHES SHADWICHES. She wants it fixed—immediately. The misspeller is Harold, whose life changes when Daphne wanders into the shop. A few short weeks later, they share a kiss, launching into “More Than Just a Friend,” one of the many songs that pepper the first act—twelve, to be exact, though three are reprises. (For comparison, Act II has eight songs and one reprise.)
Miriam (Markaila Dyson) meets Harold McClam (Chava Suarez)
There’s one remaining actor who yet been recognized. That would be Matthew Herrero as Joey Storms, a playwright who, when he sees Daphne, declares that she is his muse and begs her to star in his upcoming show, The Human Condition. Herrero, like the others, returns again in scene after scene throughout the rest of the show. As the story unfolds, we’re treated to a fortune teller, a near-suicide, not one but two prophecies, a speeding car, a train ride, a rooftop, and a dazzling night sky. Who could ask for anything more?
Daphne (Kaylee Miltersen) and Joey Storms (Matthew Herrero)
If you’re wondering about all the narrative loop-de-loops, don’t worry—there are plenty more. Think of it like The Windmills of Your Mind (yes, the Oscar-winning Michel Legrand song), but with more sandwiches and cosmic coincidences.
Harold McClam (Chava Suarez) and Crabble (Sarah Jebian)
On November 9, the lights go out all over the city that never sleeps. What results is not the looting that accompanied a later, summer blackout, but an almost Elysian calm in the storm that is NYC. It allows, improbably or not as you judge the outcome, the three lovers to sort out their fates and find hope-filled redemption in a suddenly clear and cosmic sky (“November Stars”).
Miriam (Markaila Dyson) has her fortune told by the Narrator (Cathleen Riddley)
Music director Diana Lee conducts a tight five-piece orchestra, hidden off to the right side of the stage, providing elegant accompaniment while also joining in on some of the numbers. Sarah Phykitt’s scenic design is deceptively simple, while Stephanie Dittbern’s costumes capture the era beautifully. Pamila Gray’s lighting and Jeff Mockus’s sound provide just the right atmospheric touches, and technical director and master carpenter Eric Olson ensures that everything runs smoothly.
Sarah Jebian as Crabble directing traffic during the blackout
This is a show which isn’t afraid to ask the big questions. It’s also smart enough not to answer them all. The songs, persuasive if not memorable, carry an enchantment. Much like the constellations it invokes, Fly by Night is a show about fate, connection, and finding light in the darkness. It can be strange, unpredictable, and occasionally exasperating—but with its indie-folk score and endearing characters, it’s also deeply beguiling—like a Lifetime movie with depth.
photos by Mark Kitaoka and Tracy Martin
Fly by Night
Hillbarn Theatre
1285 E. Hillsdale Blvd. in Foster City
2 hours and 45 minutes with intermission
Fri at 8; Sat at 2 & 8; Sun at 2
ends on March 23, 2025
for tickets, call 650.349.6411 Ext. 2 or visit Hillbarn
Joanne Engelhardt is a former San Jose Mercury and Santa Cruz Sentinel writer and theatre critic and is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact: [email protected].
