Ground Floor Theatre and JAAMM Festival collaborate on an inspiring journey to identity and understanding.

As I settle into my seat for Ground Floor Theatre’s Always a Boy, the first thing that catches my eye is the set. Scenic Designer CB Feller covers the Mizel Center’s Pluss Theatre floor with a gigantic, multicolored butterfly.

Depending on where you sit, the image may not be as apparent, but from my seat, front and center, I can see the wings perfectly. Many shapes and symbols decorate the butterfly, including the rough outline of a person marked with the scars of a double mastectomy. This striking insect is echoed on the back wall by a white scrim folded to mimic the butterfly’s silhouette. Kevin McVeigh’s lighting design works brilliantly in concert with this set. If I knew nothing about the play, this symbolism would suggest a story of transformation.

Always a Boy is the narrative of Joshua, and in this telling, Joshua is played by three actors of different ages. There is a very young Joshua (Elliot James), a college-age Joshua (Shannon Rymut) and an adult Joshua (Caden Pazo). Remarkably well cast, it’s almost as if they were related. I can see the same Joshua in all three faces, and the transition in age between them is entirely believable.

The two younger Joshuas are referred to by family members as “Ash” because they have not yet come to understand Josh’s true identity. Adult Joshua, dressed in a light blue suit in preparation for “the biggest day of his life,” comes onstage with his mother, Rachel (Molly Fonseca). We are not yet told what this day holds.

Joshua reminisces with Rachel, taking us through the events of their lives and focusing on how they have arrived at this moment. This is Josh’s attempt to help Rachel truly understand his deepest identity. The play is based on Never a Girl, Always a Boy: A Family Memoir of a Transgender Journey, a book by playwright Jo Ivester about the true story of a mother and son’s experiences.

Sponsored

Molly Fonseca, Caden Pazo and Shannon Rymut in ‘Always a Boy.’ | Photo: RDGPhotography

A Joshua for every season

The cast is cohesive from top to bottom. Pazo seems made for the role of adult Joshua — or perhaps the role was made for Pazo. He presents a master class in background acting, remaining perfectly still while conveying emotional reactions through his face. His performance is powerful and elegant without distracting from the main action. When he is the focus, however, he owns the stage with poise and conviction.

Pazo’s youngest co-Joshua, Elliot James, struggles a bit with this same stillness in the background, which is common among young actors. James does an exceptional job otherwise, making it easy to overlook the squirming. He brings great energy, emotion and presence to the role.

College-age Joshua (Shannon Rymut) serves as the link between the other two and carries the daunting task of illustrating the transition between the younger and older versions of Joshua. This includes choosing a new name, enduring the pain and turmoil of coming out to each family member and facing the ensuing conflict over the announcement of top surgery.

Rymut sparkles in this undertaking. The need to vault between situations and emotions as often as Joshua does feels like a roller coaster to me, and no doubt it does to Rymut, too. Nonetheless, Rymut takes on the challenge with the confidence and sophistication of royalty.

Shannon Rymut in ‘Always a Boy.’ | Photo: RDGPhotography

Impressive ensemble chemistry

Director Lisa Scheps brings forth a vision of strength, vulnerability and hope. Scheps creates an exceedingly magnetic ensemble. The chemistry between Tucker (Zewj) and both Pazo and Rymut is magical. Richard (Damon Guerrasio) and Rachel (Molly Fonseca) also share a profound onstage harmony. Believably portraying a married couple who have been together for several years and raised three children is no easy feat. Fonseca and Guerrasio make it look easy, conveying happiness, affection, anger and confusion as convincing spouses.

I struggle with how emotions such as rage, stress and frustration are expressed in the show. Human beings experience a myriad of feelings, and these powerful emotions can be articulated in countless ways. What I experience in Always a Boy is a lot of shouting. It is a common reaction to these sentiments, but it is not always necessary. Actors and directors sometimes forget that simmering rage or quiet frustration can be more powerful than a loud holler.

Older brother Seth (Elijah Field) and sister Becca (Emma Grace Bradley) fit into the ensemble as though they were born there. Bradley brings grace and joy to Becca, a sibling many people yearn for, with sincerity and authenticity. Seth is a fun character whom Field plays with a jolly, wholesome attitude. Field provides an enjoyable distraction from some of the more tense moments, with one exception. Seth’s implausibly sharp change of heart — from a medical student who professes that a transgender man is not a real man to a delighted big brother offering to teach Joshua how to shave — leaves me relieved yet slightly incredulous.

Aside from this one small, unexplained gap in Seth’s character development, Jo and Jeremy Ivester’s compelling script offers a meaningful story that a modern audience desperately needs. Even if you do not have a transgender friend or family member, this play has a lesson for anyone who wants a better understanding of the roughly 2.8 million people in the United States who identify as transgender.