Gift Theatre's 'Good for Otto' sounds the call for mental health

The Gift Theatre's near-perfect timing was reflected in Friday's opening of its exquisitely acted world premiere of David Rabe's “Good for Otto.”

Had the Chicago storefront timed things perfectly, however, it would have opened the play 24 hours later, on World Mental Health Day, the ideal day on which to premiere Rabe's poignant yet imperfect meditation on mental illness.

Inspired by the self-help book “Undoing Depression” by psychotherapist Richard O'Connor, “Good for Otto” takes place mostly in the offices of Dr. Robert Michaels (Wheaton native John Gawlik, who is as discreetly compassionate as he is impenetrable) and Evangeline Ryder (Lynda Newton). Both work as counselors at a community mental health center located in a small Connecticut town where, as Robert observes, “pain is plentiful … in the land of plenty.”

But some of the same issues (mother-related, mostly) that plague their clients also affect the professionals. Robert, for example, continues to wrestle with the death of his mother (played with insidious ambiguity by the haunting, taunting Brittany Burch), who committed suicide when he was barely a teenager.

The play begins with a kind of prologue where the actors enter humming in the style of an orchestra tuning up before a performance. It actually makes sense when you consider that Rabe's characters — most of whom struggle with depression, psychosis or other psychiatric disorders — are essentially “tuning up” their psyches so they operate at peak efficiency.

Their stories unfold as a series of vignettes beginning with Jerome (Kenny Mihlfried), who for three years has been trying to move from his bedroom in his mother's house to the basement apartment two floors below. Jane (Alexandra Main) seeks Dr. Michaels' help after the suicide of her son Jimmy (Paul D'Addario), who insists “I was fine as far as I knew.” Main and D'Addario appear only briefly, but their stark, authentic performances leave a lasting impression.

John Kelly Connolly delivers a touching, amusing turn as the easily frustrated Timothy, whose lack of social skills is off-putting to most people and whose pet hamster supplies the play's title.

Long Grove resident Rob Riley, whose seemingly effortless performance is entirely authentic, plays Barnard, a town elder statesman who, at age 75, confronts for the first time the intermittent depression that has troubled him since he was a young man.

Equally impressive is middle school student and Marriott and Paramount Theatre veteran Caroline Heffernan in a deliberate, mature performance. She stars as the deeply troubled Frannie Bascome, a self-injuring 12-year-old buffeted by internal “storms,” entangled in child services red tape and denied inpatient treatment by an insurance company representative (Cyd Blakewell). By Frannie's side is her increasingly overwhelmed foster mother, Nora Meyers. Played by Darci Nalepa of Elk Grove Village, in a striking performance of barely contained anguish, Nora represents the toll mental illness exacts on a patient's family.

Last but certainly not least is the excellent Jay Worthington, whose emotional, penetrating performance as Alex — a lonely, long-closeted gay man — is among the production's most memorable.

And that's saying something. Gift's production — under the compassionate, discerning hand of Gift co-founder and artistic director Michael Patrick Thornton — showcases beautifully the ensemble's many talents.

As narratives go, “Good for Otto” — which is really a collection of character portraits — is less than completely satisfying. I found references to unresponsive social service agencies, inflexible insurance companies and persistent mother-child conflicts facile and simplistic. And at three hours, “Otto” could use a trim.

Ultimately, the play's power rests with Rabe's poetic, painfully eloquent writing and the humanity that underscores it. It's also clever, as evidenced by the subtle connections between the characters, reinforcing the idea that Rabe's portraits are in conversation with each other.

Watching these characters struggle and overcome the temptation to end their suffering permanently, I was reminded of what John Irving, another renowned American writer, said about the brave, troubled souls who persevere in spite of pain. “Keep passing the open windows,” he wrote in “Hotel New Hampshire.”

It's a message that needs repeating, and not just on World Mental Health Day. Kudos to David Rabe and Gift Theatre for sounding the call.

“Good for Otto”

★ ★ ★

<b>Location:</b> Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, (773) 283-7071 or <a href="http://thegifttheatre.org">thegifttheatre.org</a>

<b>Showtimes: </b>7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 22

<b>Running time: </b>Three hours, including intermission

<b>Tickets:</b> $20-$35

<b>Parking:</b> Metered street parking available

<b>Rating: </b>For adults; contains strong language and mature subject matter including references to suicide and sexuality