Emmy Award-winning writer Rick Cleveland was a good “candidate” for writing a play about a singular day in American history. Cleveland is well-known for his smart, popular TV shows, which include “House of Cards,” “Mad Men,” and “The West Wing.”
His Five Presidents was commissioned by Milwaukee Repertory Theater as part of its new-play development program. The world premiere initially opened at the Arizona Theater Company, its co-producer, and now, at Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The cast, set, etc. are identical for both locations.
Cleveland imagines what might have been said by five former and current U.S. presidents on the day of Richard Nixon’s funeral: April 27, 1994. The presidents gather before the funeral in the Nixon library, under the supervision of an FBI agent (convincingly played by Reese Madigan). Gerald Ford, the first to arrive, has a conversation with the FBI agent. Ford (Jeff Steitzer) probes the agent for his thoughts about Nixon, to which the agent replies in terms that are respectful, yet deliberately vague. Ford doesn’t hesitate to let down his guard, however. Like all of the presidents about to gather, he admits to having mixed feelings toward Nixon. The latter is represented by an almost life-size portrait in the room. At times, it seems like the presidents are talking to the portrait as if Nixon was still among them.
Eventually, all five presidents arrive. Clinton (Brit Whittle), who is often referred to by the others as “the new kid” or “the new guy,” feels a bit uneasy among this group. He has been in office for a bit less than a year. He isn’t quite sure how to behave as part of the world’s most exclusive club. The rest of the ex-presidents are all there: Ford, Ronald Regan (Steve Sheridan), George Bush Sr. (Mark Jacoby) and Jimmy Carter (Martin L’Herault). They understand that their duties do not end the day they step aside for their successor. They are there to pay their respects to Nixon. Their wives wait for the service to begin in another room. The top-notch cast is directed by Milwaukee Rep Artistic Director Mark Clements. Throughout the 90-minute show, they demonstrate a sense of restraint. Even when the presidents go after each other, which they occasionally do, Clements only lets it go so far before peace is restored. The men comment that they alone know what it’s like to lead the country, and they need to stick together. This may not make for much drama, and the plot sort of ambles along. Still, Cleveland has crafted some riveting dialogue. And some of it is very funny. As each president arrives, for example, the other presidents guess who is stepping out of the limo by the amount of cheering they hear from a crowd gathered outside. Ford looks out the window to affirm the predictions. Other bits of humor focus on the befuddled Reagan, who is sometimes unaware of his offbeat comments. Reagan shows clear signs of the disease that will one day take his life.
The play’s humor is tempered by moments of poignancy. Each president knows the exact number of Americans who died “under my watch.” They admit to being haunted many years later by those names, most of whom belong to men and women in the military.
Each cast member gives an outstanding performance that brings these presidents vividly to life. Without resorting to full impressions of the president (this is no Dana Carvey of TV’s “Saturday Night Live”), they create an echo of each man’s personality. Some facial prosthetics are used to make the men look at bit more like their character, but the changes are subtle enough to remain unnoticed under the stage lights.
The crisp, realistic set and its props seem completely authentic, right down to the crystal bar glasses. The room is formal in style and hue. Its gold overtones range from pale to vivid. Long, draping curtains further suggest formality. On the floor and on stands are some hastily placed floral memorials – overflow from the main seating area, no doubt. They add some necessary color to a room in which all the characters are wearing dark suits.
The characters talk politics, of course, but they also weigh in on the personal toll that the presidency takes. “It’s a hell of a job,” says Ford. “And when you’re finished with it, you aren’t much good for anything else.” Carter, in agreement, notes, “they should compare the years one spends in the presidency to dog years.”
And although the time it took to create Five Presidents also may have seemed as long, the result is a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Who wouldn’t want peek behind the curtain and listen to some of the most fascinating men in America, who once represented the most powerful nation on Earth?
