Do you ever wonder where playwrights get their ideas for grand Broadway musicals? Well, Sunday In The Park With George, might be a little unusual and then, maybe not. But clearly James Lapine (book) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics and music), started with Georges Seurat’s masterpiece painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. And then they imagined the life and personality of many of the prominent individuals that Seurat has depicted, developed a back story for each of them, and wove then all together into a grand and masterful Broadway musical. But trust me, they did take some poetic license with some of the figures chosen. There isn’t a one to one correlation…but it is amazing nonetheless. But do keep in mind, despite this taking place in a real place and time, and with a real historical figure, this is just a bit of very clever story telling.
But the real magic isn’t in the dots on the canvas or the story from Sondheim and Lapine, it’s from the masterful direction of Caitlin Nettesheim who needs to weave the historic characters and references in with the contemporary back references and 18 actors, many of them doubling up, and produce the engaging presentation that I experienced this past Sunday at Lake County Playhouse & Academy. And extra credit for her clever use of cacophony several times to change scenes and casts.
The obvious focus of Sunday In The Park With George is Georges Seurat. Lapine has a bit of fun during the first act poking some fun at the stereotype of the artist but there is also a serious love story here, a love triangle of sorts, between George and Dot (his model and lover) and George and Art. Jack Anderson plays a George who never loses focus on his painting often at the expense of his personal life and social life. He never stops sketching whether he’s got a willing model or just catching others from afar each Sunday on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Anderson presents the distracted work ethic and focus of an artist. And his adept muttering and giving under the breath voice to self utterances as he daubs at the painting in the studio, certainly set the scene for his eventually personal loss. Some more red here, and here some blue. But, to quote the great man (in the play): “White, a blank page or canvas. The challenge: bring order to the whole, through design, composition, tension, balance, light and harmony.”
Suze Falk is a willing model as Dot but not above complaining about the working conditions! It’s Hot! It’s so early! And Falk’s Dot isn’t above overdoing directions from George partly of course to get a reaction out of him but to great comic effect to the audience. George:, please lower your chin a bit. Dot: immediately plunging her chin to her chest. And Dot wants to be an active young Parisian, out in public, and sharing her time with the man she loves. George has feelings too and Anderson struggles to suppress them as he remains immersed in his work. At last Dot leaves him for the baker and can’t quite let go and Falk’s portrayal of a conflicted and still in love young woman is very very compelling. She returns to George a number of times to see if she can crack through his shell. But in the end, she moves to the practical and takes care of herself and child (and George’s child). Whether the playwrights meant George to be the main character or Dot, I am not 100% sure, but Falk certainly steals the show here. And her voice ranges from coy to charming to full throated as she expresses the full range of emotions she’s set to experience.
There are many other characters, but some notable performances. Luke Hahn as Jules, another painter who is more established than Seurat with some pull in the artistic community. Hahn easily plays the pompous Jules and moves from a critical voice of George’s work to claiming to be a friend. And his even more pompous and self-important wife, Yvonne, given full voice and presence by Elizabeth Nisley. And all of the characters are society darlings or wannabes, except the Boatman played as a common no nonsense working man by Mark Thompson. And the baker, Louis, played by Bradley Carter. The script describes him as well liked and generous and always blinking, and Carter demonstrates those attributes quite ably and for some real comic effect at times. No wonder he draws the attentions of Dot eventually.
And ACT I ends with all of our characters forming a tableau resembling the original painting. And they start ACT II in those same positions, complaining about their various positions or plights in their poses. High humor here and this isn’t my best side!
And then we have ACT II itself, which is in the contemporary era. And Anderson is still a George, but the great-grandson of Seurat. He is also an artist but not as obsessed or focused, and doubtful much of the time. Anderson captures these various moments quite effectively. It is the opening for his latest piece, an electronic light piece, but related to Seurat in it uses light and color for a particular visual effect. And it is in fact a commission that is meant to be inspired by the great painting. Most of the actors from the previous acts now appear as contemporary art consumers, art critics, or philanthropists. Current George doesn’t handle the social responsibilities very well either.
There is a lot to unpack here but I will leave most of it to you to discover when you attend the play. But George decides to visit Paris and present his Seurat inspired electronic bit on the Island of La Grande Jatte. And after reviewing the technical needs with his assistant, he asks for some time alone. And now we come full circle as Dot and other characters appear to him , to ask questions and fill in some plot points and bring closure to our story. As some younger generations might say, this final meeting will bring on the feels.
Some side notes: Nettesheim does an amazing job telling this story through movement and postures. A lot of story gets told in a rather small space. And the set is simple and spare, with just a small raised ridge down the center parallel to the audience that allows certain characters prominence. And the back wall is simply an off white, canvas colored. When we are on the Island it becomes the mounting point for the park trees and when we are in the studio, it IS the canvas that George works on.
But the costuming here is amazing. Lush and decadent. Top hats and morning coats, rich colorful formal dresses, and particularly for Dot, bustles. Costume Designer Sarah Jo Martens is always spot on, but she has outdone herself this time.
And there is of course, incidental and supporting music throughout the show, it is a musical after all. There are six musicians on stage: two wind players, two keyboards, a cello, and a percussionist. They were delights!
And check the painting above for the soldiers before you come, thank me later.
Sunday In The Park With George plays at the Lake Country Playhouse & Academy in Hartland WI from now through October 11, 2026. RUNTIME: 150 minutes. + 15 Minute Intermission
Additional information HERE and Tickets HERE
