Booked & Scene

Primary Trust by Eboni Booth opens SpeakEasy Stage’s 35th season under the direction of Dawn M. Simmons. The play introduces us to Kenneth, a man whose quiet routines and familiar small-town life suddenly shift when he faces a change that pushes him to step outside of his comfort zone. What unfolds is a story about loneliness, connection, and the fragile ways people build community—even when they don’t quite know how.

Nerves, Nuance, and New Faces
David J. Castillo as Kenneth carries the production with remarkable stamina, never leaving the stage. He imbues Kenneth with a mix of awkwardness, gentle humor, and a nervous charm that made his inner life feel fully realized. In tense moments, you could practically feel his anxiety radiating across the theater, which kept the audience deeply connected to his journey.
Janelle Grace, juggling multiple roles, Corrina, Wally’s Waiter, and various bank customers, brought much-needed levity. Her range was impressive, with accents, quirks, and energies that gave each character its own spark. The revolving personalities of Wally’s waiters in particular gave her room to shine, adding variety and humor throughout.

Shorter, Sharper, Smarter
The show ran closer to 85 minutes despite being billed as an hour and 45, which gave it a brisk pace that never overstayed its welcome. The costumes by Chelsea Kerl grounded the production nicely in its small-town New York setting, from everyday wear to the subtle details that told us who these people were. The staging choice of a spray-painted effect on the floor was a clever touch that added visual interest without overcomplicating the design.

Ringing False Notes
Several directorial and design choices kept the production from reaching its full potential. The decision to split the stage into three sections rather than using moveable set pieces often felt limiting, and depending on your seat, you might have found yourself straining to follow a scene happening far to one side. The lack of a backdrop and reliance on colored lighting left the stage looking sparse, and at times, Janelle Grace’s lines were lost in shadow when she was tucked into the tiki booth.
The most frustrating device, though, was the recurring bell. At first, it seemed to signal shifts in thought or perspective, but the inconsistency of its use quickly became distracting. What worked as a game in improv felt misplaced here, and the sheer number of bell strikes weakened the storytelling instead of heightening it. Finally, Booth’s script itself left some major gaps. Kenneth’s mental health struggles were hinted at but never fully fleshed out, and certain plot resolutions felt rushed or unconvincing. A key falling-out between characters especially landed with little realism or weight.

Hoping for More
As someone who values the importance of community, I came into Primary Trust with high hopes for a story about connection and belonging. While David J. Castillo and Janelle Grace gave strong, committed performances, the production was weighed down by choices that didn’t quite land—from design to directorial devices to uneven moments in the script. Rather than leaving me with the warmth of shared humanity, I walked away wishing the piece had given me more to hold on to. Primary Trust runs through October 11, 2025.
📸: Benjamin Rose Photography