Theater review: Marin Theatre’s ‘Sally & Tom’ a complex, compelling show

“What if” is the seed of almost every story. In the case of Suzan-Lori Parks’ “Sally & Tom,” the question is: What if a low-budget theater company were to put on a show about Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings?

That question receives multiple answers in a complex depiction of a small troupe on a shoestring budget trying to get a handle on one of the most controversial relationships in American history. Ongoing financial problems, romantic upheavals, one-night stands and artistic differences all form an obstacle course for Good Company as it rehearses a production called “The Pursuit of Happiness,” the title taken from Jefferson’s famous assertion about fundamental human rights.

Like a world-class chef, Parks throws many disparate ingredients into the pot and sets the burner on “simmer” to see what happens. Expertly helmed by Marin Theatre’s Executive Artistic Director Lance Gardner, the results are fascinating, delicious and at times almost overwhelming.

What begins as a comedic spoof of a rehearsal of a late 18th-century dance party slowly grows into something more engaging and far more serious — how to navigate interpersonal conflicts in the pursuit of artistic honesty and how to present historical characters in the most realistic light without defaulting to philippics.

Like the show they are developing — with rewrites up to the final preview — Good Company is rife with problems. That is the source of both the comedy and the drama, played out on a seemingly low-budget set by Kate Noll that serves as the stage front/rear/sides/dressing room and the apartment of Good Company principals Mike and Luce.

An extremely tight budget means that all members of the troupe perform multiple duties. The play-within-a-play’s director, Mike (Adam KuveNiemann), has taken the lead role of Jefferson. His romantic partner and the show’s playwright, Luce (Emily Newsome), is playing opposite him as Hemings. Stage manager Scout (Nicole Apostol Bruno) appears as Polly, Jefferson’s younger daughter, while character actor Devon (Kenneth Ray) plays the violin onstage and handles lighting design. Good Company’s dresser and costume designer Maggie (Asia Nicole Jackson) takes the role of Mary, a household servant and Hemings’ confidante.

The imposing Titus VanHook appears as Kwame, a part-time TV and film actor in the role of James, Jefferson’s well-educated, dutiful valet. While hoping for a film contract to materialize, actress Ginger (Rosie Hallett) appears as Jefferson’s elder daughter Patsy. Michael Phillis rounds out the cast as Geoff, playing Cooper, Jefferson’s troublesome neighbor. This ornate setup is further complicated by an unseen financial backer (“producer” in showbiz lingo) who constantly requests changes to the script until abruptly withdrawing his support, leading to a panic that ultimately separates Mike and Luce.

That’s a concise description of the plot and story without mentioning its more important aspects: the reality of Jefferson and his household and their place in history. Mike performs Jefferson as satire, with an exaggerated Virginia accent and intentional ignorance about his own hypocrisy. Jefferson was a theoretical supporter of universal freedom and human rights, but he was also a man of his time — a terribly inept and debt-ridden businessman who let financial practicality interfere with his higher convictions.

Hemings and her family were similarly trapped in circumstances beyond their control. In contemporary times, Luce takes charge of her dysfunctional relationship with Mike, while her character Sally can do nothing about hers with Jefferson. In one of several parallels, Luce and Sally are both in the early stages of pregnancy.

The show breaks from past to present with a jarring rhythm. Parks punctuates the sometimes frenetic action with three protracted speeches. The first is a heartfelt plea for recognition of his essential manhood by James, a scene that gets cut by Luce, compelling Kwame to leave the production in protest. The second is a self-serving sermon by Jefferson, and the third is a lovely coda by Sally/Luce that brings the whole affair to a satisfying close.

History and art are always more nuanced than we can possibly imagine. Perhaps an ultimate theater-insider production, “Sally & Tom” goes a long way toward illuminating both of them.

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact him at barry.m.willis@gmail.com

If you go

What: “Sally & Tom”

Where: Marin Theatre, 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley

When: Through Nov. 23; 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. weekend matinees

Admission: $15 to $89

Information: 415-388-5208; MarinTheatre.org

Rating (out of five stars): 4 stars