Margin Notes: Destination

Destination

Seen on: Thursday, 3/05/26.

Plot and Background

4 Girls Film Productions in association with Jarrott Productions's four-day presentation of George Ayres's new play, as part of Chain Theatre's 2026 The Factory Series. Howard Wright, a retired architect in an assisted living facility, facing only a year left of his life, embarks on a journey to declare his love for "the one that got away" after her engagement is published in the local newspaper. Meanwhile, his daughter wrestles with the what-ifs of her own lost love amidst a struggling marriage.

Thoughts:

Play: Over the course of one day, Howard Wright learns that the woman who got away--a coworker with whom he was infatuated years ago, even while both of them were married--is getting remarried, and he resolves to drive out and offer himself to her instead. His daughter spends this same day meeting with her lover--another one who got away, her high school sweetheart--and finally confronting him about why they broke up so many years ago, only to return to her life just as her father does, a little more weathered but definitely wiser. The theme overall here is missed chances and second chances: can you reclaim what you've lost, or can you at least heal an old scar before moving on? Playwright George Ayres finds a variety of ways to explore this across his band of characters: Howard and his pining for Caroline (and the reveal of her reciprocal pining); Howard's neighbor Gigi and her pining for him; Howard's daughter Jennifer and her lover Robert, each reaching back to an uncapturable past; and Howard's longtime housekeeper Alma, advising from her own experience of letting her true love die without knowing she returned his love, warning Howard not to let his chance go by too. I do feel that the pacing and structure need some reworking: Howard's reunion with Caroline is touchingly bittersweet with a killer final line to the scene, but it's such a satisfying moment that it's almost jarring to realize there are still several scenes to go before everything wraps up, and the final moments of the play don't manage to land with the same satisfy beat of a journey completed.

Cast: There's an overall affection that permeates this cast: even when the characters are at odds, the underlying love they feel for each other still shines through. John Lenartz brings a zest for life to the central character of Howard, finding a moment to laugh even when things are at their heaviest. Tish Brandt, who serves as both Assistant Director and as Howard's lost love, is beautifully practical with an appealing straightforwardness that gradually gives way to the sweetness of the young woman she once was, infatuated and expectant. Jessica Crandall's performance as Howard's daughter Jennifer is delicately textured, navigating with subtle expression her conflicting feelings about her father, her marriage, and her affair with her high school sweetheart. Where Lenartz is big and boisterous, Crandall is quiet and contained, and the foiling of these two, both grappling with a similar question about how to spend the rest of their lives, makes for a satisfying contrast.

Design: Kathryn Goshorn's costume design beautifully captures the essence of each character, garbing Howard in the traditional look of a retired grandfather: mustard-khakis and a woolen pullover on a collared shirt. When he finally reunites with Caroline, her wardrobe mirrors his, though with black slacks. Howard's daughter Jennifer, by contrast, is a woman of warm sophistication: smooth hair, a coordinated outfit creams and light color, crisp pleated trousers and the twinkle of gold highlights. Howard's neighbor Gigi brings the air of an aging bohemian with memories of suburbia: cuffed fitted denim jacket and jeans, with a flowy scarf draped around her neck. Howard's loyal housekeeper, Alma, brings the only pop of saturated color with her bright red shirt, to match the tart and sweet humor the character brings to the room. The sound design by Craig M. Brock has some truly humorous soundscapes to transition us between scenes and locations, but I don't fully understand the slow rise of instrumental music as certain scenes drift to a close. It feels a bit like a hat on a hat, and I think the scenes would be more powerful when left to their own devices of the script and performers.

***

Running: Now playing at Chain Theatre (4 Girls Film Productions and Jarrott Productions) - Opening: March 5, 2026. Closing: March 8, 2026.
Category: play
Length: 1 hour, 30 minutes, no intermission.

Creative Team

Playwright: George Ayres
Director: David R. Jarrott Assistant Director: Tish Brandt

Designers and Team: Kathryn Goshorn (Costume & Props), Craig M. Brock (Sound Designer), Brooke Sauerwein (Sound Recordist), MacKenzie Mulligan (Lighting), James O'Shea (Scenic Technical Director), John Andrade (Scenic Carpenter), Heatherly Ayres (Social Media), Kampfire PR (Publicist), Nick Capelle (Graphic Illustrator), Miller Brandon (Box Office), Stage Manager (Amy Ollove), Bri King (Assistant Stage Manager), Emily Poole (Master Electrician), Kevin Murphy (Carpenter), Anastasia Swan (Sound Assistant), Lias J. "Jeff" Steen and Oui Lounge Pictures (Executive Producers), Hallie Ayres and Phoebe Ayres (Producers), Will Gibson Douglas (Associate Producers).
Cast: John Lenartz, Rose Zingale, Jessica Crandall, Antoni Edwards Suarez, Valerie Donaldson, Tish Brandt.