All The World’s A Stage – Theatre Row

All The World’s A Stage is a musical written by Adam Gwon. The narrative details the experiences of a high school teacher in a small Pennsylvania town. The production consists of a barebones set. A quartet of Wiley Deweese, Beth Callen, Buffi Jacobs, and Mike Hunter provides the music, complementing the songs without overwhelming the lyrics. This is not a typical musical. The songs develop the characters and move the action forward.

Matt Rodin is Ricky Alleman. He portrays a man who is torn. He must hide his homosexuality to teach in a small-town high school. Rodin clearly shows the inner conflicts as he moves through a hostile world.

New York City should extend a welcome to Eliza Pagelle to our theaters as she portrays Sam Bucknam. Sam is a determined adolescent committed to transforming her circumstances. She views a statewide monologue contest with a full scholarship as an opportunity to escape. She asks Ricky Alleman, who is a “theater nerd,” to be her advisor and coach. Pagelle gracefully fills this role.

Elizabeth Stanley is Dede Rozenel – the school secretary who is the power behind the throne. She mentors Ricky and protects him. Stanley realistically portrays a woman who uses her unwritten power to help others.

Jon-Michael Reese is Michael Hallan. He is a flamboyantly gay man who is who is not under the same pressure as Ricky because owns a bookstore. Thus, he is financially independent. He becomes Ricky’s lover. Reese portrays this role without making it a parody.

Although the principal never appears on stage Reese, Pagelle, and Stanley’s words create a clear image of a bureaucrat willing to sacrifice a student (by suspending Sam) and academic freedom to keep a community happy and protect his job. The actors’ voice blend together to carry the story forward.

Ricky selects a safe Shakespearean sonnet for the monologue. While rehearsing, their conversations revolve around Angels in America. Ricky sees Tony Kusher a second Shakespeare. Sam acts out a scene from Angels in the hallway of the school. Ricky’ job is threatened if there is any more connection with Angels. Dede tries to protect Ricky. She even invites Ricky and his girlfriend to dinner. Ricky and Sam plan to toss Shakespeare and use a monologue from Angels.

All The World’s A Stage is not your typical musical. When their plan about the monologue is printed in an out-of-town newspaper things collapse. Michael has a brick thrown through a window of his bookstore since he was identified as Ricky’s lover. Dede draws back in horror when she realizes that Ricky is gay. Sam doesn’t win. She is offered a job with the church that dominates the town. This would trap her in the town she so desperately wants to escape through the theater. The play ends when each person finds his or her role in life. It is true that “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” During this musical we can see the players finding roles that make them happier, even if it is not what they planned.

All The World’s A Stage is far more pertinent than it seems at first glance. Adam Gwon depicts characters seeking their place in a hostile world. Pennsylvania in 1996 resembles the US in 2025. This is not a musical where the audience will walk out singing the tunes. This musical inspires reflection and changes perspective. All The World’s A Stage entertains and provokes at the same time.