By Michall Jeffers

You wouldn’t want to live here, but superb acting makes the Superior Donuts shop a wonderful place to visit. There isn’t a weak link in this cast of nine, who bring to Broadway yet another gift from Steppenwolf in Chicago.

The plot is relatively simple. In a setting that reads like an Edward Hopper depression era diner, proprietor Arthur Przbyszewski goes about his daily lackluster routine, sometimes opening to serve customers, sometimes not. Michael McKean is nearly unrecognizable in gray beard and ponytail, with his wool stocking cap pulled low on his forehead, the better to ward off the chill of the Windy City. Anyone expecting the flashy, silly sit com character of old will be disappointed in McKean’s understated, heartfelt performance here; he is heartbreaking in his portrayal of defeat, and he handles the difficult monologues to the audience with ease and simplicity.

Into this setting enter the cops, Russian business owner, and local drunk who people Arthur’s dreary world. Arthur’s establishment has been vandalized, and he hardly cares. The clock on the wall has stopped, and so has his ability to meaningfully connect. When he is oblivious to the obvious feelings shown him by officer Randy, the utterly appealing Kate Buddeke, the audience literally groans in exasperation. We are hooked; we want better for this bewildered but well-meaning soul. An aging hippie with one gold earring and a penchant for rolling and smoking joints, Arthur unfolds to the house his story of immigrant Polish parents and a love he lost because of his own suppressed emotions.

Enter Franco Wicks, a smart, funny young African-American charmer who exudes optimism and enthusiasm for the minimum wage job he has come seeking in the store. While it’s facile to describe this as a Will Smith role, the comparison is apt. Jon Michael Hill has unmistakable star power; he grabs our attention immediately, and holds on to our hearts with a rare power and an electricity that lights up the stage like Las Vegas.

The two men, one old and looking backward, one young and chomping at the bit for a bright, successful future, strike up an increasingly warm friendship. The zingers bounce back and forth, and there is fun, energy, and finally, donuts in the bins.

The plot takes a somewhat melodramatic turn, and a physical fight on stage strikes an uncomfortably sour note into the otherwise sweet melody of the play. And some really important questions are raised. What is the nature of friendship? What is the definition of courage? What is the meaning of honor, truth, security, and hope? And to what degree do we write the story of our lives with and through those around us?

But leave all this for the discussion you’ll have later. While you’re in the theater, marvel at the skill with which author Tracy Letts and director Tina Landau have led an exceptional ensemble of actors to create a thoroughly enjoyable theater experience. Superior Donuts, indeed.

Superior Donuts
The Music Box
239 West 45th Street
212-239-6200