Almost golden: Goodman Theatre’s ‘Ashland Avenue’ needs a little polish

“Ashland Avenue” — 2.5 stars

This week, Goodman Theatre commenced its centennial season with the world premiere of “Ashland Avenue,” a Chicago-set dramedy about a small-business owner and onetime local celebrity struggling to keep his TV store afloat with help from his dutiful daughter, who has set aside her dreams in service of his.

An examination of family, legacy and independence, “Ashland Avenue” is a familiar tale about the difficulty of letting go and the challenge of moving on. Writer/director Lee Kirk has crafted scenes that are both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny (especially in the superior second act), but the repetitive, overly long play needs tightening.

At this point, the play, which Goodman showcased in December as part of its New Stages Festival, is a mixed bag. The writing feels cursory and pedestrian at times. Take for example Kirk’s copious Chicago references. Mentions of cold weather, underperforming sports teams and the North Side/South Side baseball rivalry are to be expected. But they feel like the DePaul University graduate checked them off a list: Studs Terkel? Check. Harry Caray, Mike Ditka, Michael Jordan? Check. William “The Refrigerator” Perry, but not Walter “Sweetness” Payton? Check.

Speaking of local characters, store owner Pete seems to have been inspired in part by the late Bob Rohrman, a Chicago-area automotive magnate who for years served as his dealerships’ TV pitchman.

Steppenwolf Theatre ensemble member and Chicago mainstay Francis Guinan plays Pete, a TV store owner known from his low-budget commercials and sales gimmicks. He opened his first store on Ashland Avenue in 1982 and expanded his business to 16 locations over the next 40-plus years. But as times changed and customers migrated online, the stores closed, except for the first, where the long-widowed Pete works with his daughter, Sam (Jenna Fischer of NBC’s “The Office”), and her aspiring animator husband, Mike (Chiké Johnson).

We encounter the family a few days before the unnamed mayor arrives at Pete’s shop to honor him for “contributing to the fabric of the city.” Pete hopes the publicity will rejuvenate his struggling business and tries to cajole his daughter and son-in-law into opening a new store with him.

Sam and Mike resist, respectfully. They’re moving to Los Angeles, where Mike hopes to get a job at a film studio while Sam puts her English degree to use writing a book.

Orbiting around the family is Pete’s former employee turned long-term houseguest Jess (Cordelia Dewdney), a single mom of two young children with ex-boyfriend Charlie (Will Allan), a recovering drug addict.

The action unfolds on Kevin Depinet’s cluttered, authentic-looking storefront, where stacks of dusty, cathode ray tube televisions reach to the tarnished tin ceiling. A sleek, flat-screen TV display indicates Pete embraced modern technology, but not enough to sustain his business. As Sam points out, Pete’s failure to adapt to digital commerce and limited social media savvy contributed to the business’ decline.

Director Susan V. Booth’s production benefits from its supporting players. While some of Booth’s actors take a while to warm up, the dynamic Johnson fires on all cylinders the moment he steps onto the stage. The expertly paced scene where his and Fischer’s characters discuss imagined problems with a condo they purchased online is laugh-out-loud funny.

Dewdney reveals the conflicted Jess’ moral core and stubborn faith, while Allan brings a feverish sincerity to the spiraling Charlie.

The empathetic, determined Fischer seemed nervous initially but settled into a rhythm by the second act, where she is unfortunately saddled with monologue outlining her book’s outlandish plot combining “Game of Thrones” with a Marvel movie.

Guinan brings a gruff affability to Pete, a septuagenarian reluctant to turn the page on the entrepreneurial chapter of his life. Certainly, Pete tries to manipulate people around him, but his efforts aren’t entirely off-putting, as Guinan’s performance suggests.

Despite tripping over bits of dialogue opening night, Guinan’s performance was among the bright spots in Goodman’s premiere. I’m not surprised. As an actor, Guinan’s performances help elevate less-than-perfect plays. For that, he’s worth his weight in gold.

Perhaps he’ll confirm it again, reprising his role in a newly burnished “Ashland Avenue.”

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Location: Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, (312) 443-3800, goodmantheatre.org

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday; and 2 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 12. Also, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21

Running time: About two hours, 30 minutes, with intermission

Tickets: $39-$153

Parking: Nearby garages; discounted parking with Goodman Theatre validation at the Government Center Self Park at Clark and Lake streets

Rating: For teens and older; some strong language and fleeting violence