Casey Brogan as Plunk, Max Ryon as Cameron, and Tyler M. White as Rodney. Photo by machpe.
Getting a new play off the ground takes a great deal of work. Playwright Marshall Logan Gibbs and director Maxwell Wolf seemingly hit the ground running with “MonstӠr (Or, #MeToo Brute),” part of the Maryland Theatre Collective’s 24/25 season. “MonstӠr is a new work that isn’t afraid to push boundaries, as it looks at the broader strokes of “life online” while also exploring the inner lives of those whose digital personas seem rather all-consuming at times.
…a new work that isn’t afraid to push boundaries…deftly combines a theatrical understanding of good old-fashioned entertainment and ‘new frontier.’
While there are an increasing number of plays that tackle the dangers of digital overexposure, by integrating more classic themes and, in this case, subtle Shakespearean undertones, “MonstӠr” deftly combines a theatrical understanding of good old-fashioned entertainment and “new frontier.” The titular character, Jonathon a.k.a. Monster (Steven Day), seems to be an amalgam of YouTube pioneers who consistently push the envelope by performing one crazy stunt after another—the crazier, the better and the more dangerous, the better. MonstӠr’s loyal “sidekicks,” played by Casey Brogan as Plunk, Tyler M. White as Rodney, and Max Ryon as Cameron, are a group of “bros” who’ve grown up with MonstӠr, steadfast alongside him since his Minecraft streaming days. The channel is a hit. MonstӠr is a superstar. The money comes pouring in. And then… While the “and then” here seems all but inevitable, it is a fun ride to the top and a rollercoaster of a descent to the bottom.
The play is really about the women in MonstӠr‘s life: his loyal-to-the-money manager (Ally Baca) who initially has quite an easy time separating work from moral fortitude and the reporter (Maggie Dennis) who finally pushes that big red “danger” button. Given the prevalence of stories in this space that have been news media mainstays since the start of the #MeToo movement, we know what’s coming. Perhaps Gibbs could’ve kept the focus a bit more on the nuances of the characters versus the many exhortative takeaways, but the point sticks, and the women are powerfully resonant in their quest for truth. My favorite was MonstӠr’s lawyer, Francesca, played by Abby Burns who absolutely steals the show. As gossip-monger talk show host Ruthie, Elizabeth Darby is a close second.
Under Maxwell Wolf’s direction, the play mimics the frenetic pace of a winner-take-all, YouTube kingdom up for grabs. Making the show even more “scrollable” is the fact that throughout, audiences get a healthy dose of actual video clips featuring a bevy of “Monster”-types doing monstrous things and then apologizing for them. Apparently the mea culpa video never does go out of style. Projections (designed by Gibbs himself) are among the most engaging parts of this production and do some definite heavy lifting as far as further defining “MonstӠr’s World.” Lighting by Atticus Cooper Boidy serves to cue the more intense moments, though a bit too heavy-handedly at times, while the sound design by Zach Sexton aptly delivers on the digital space vibes. Among the more entertaining components are the costumes, particularly those of the sidekicks. Designer Amy Haynes Rapnicki amusingly balances a sort of nod to Oompa Loompas with Nickelodeon-themed shirts and color combinations.
Overall, “MonstӠr” delivers on its promise: a glimpse inside of one hard-hitting #MeToo moment that offers a theatrical way in to a painfully tragic part of America’s unfortunate legacy when it comes to matters of this nature. The women’s voices are ultimately heard here and satisfyingly, their stories do come to matter—the “monsters” notwithstanding.
Running Time: Two hours with one intermission.
“MonstӠr (Or, #MeToo Brute)” ran from October 10-13, 2024 presented by The Maryland Theatre Collective at The Chesapeake Arts Center, 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, MD 21225. For more information about The Maryland Theatre Collective and upcoming producitons, please go online.
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