MIDLAND, Texas — Mostly comedy, part drama, "Beer for Breakfast" is the newest show to come to the Midland Community Theatre's stage. But just how entertaining was the new show?
"Beer for Breakfast" tells the story of a group of friends from high school reconnecting in their fifties to relive the glory days. One of the friends hasn't shown up yet however and them men find themselves involved in a Battle of the Sexes with his wife. What follows is a hilarious and heartwarming show that hopes to teach audiences a valuable life lesson.
TJ, played by Kendall Kiker, is a hyper-masculine, no-feelings kind of man who has shown up just to drink his worries away and hang out with his guy friends. Along the way he is confronted with a past he never fully resolved. Kiker manages to play the gruff nature of TJ without becoming totally unlikeable.
Nicholas McRae plays Mark, the most sensible of the three guys. McRae provides a nice balance to TJ and his struggles with being laid off and wanting to prove himself to his family are relatable and compelling.
After suffering a stroke and losing his job, Richard is dealing with trying to maintain a normal life and hopes the weekend will give him some relief. Ben Spencer manages to portray his physicality well without making him a caricature.
The three men are all fun and unique in their own way but some of the best moments come when they are playing off of each other. The actors have a great chemistry and it is entirely believable that they were friends back in high school.
The final player in "Beer for Breakfast" is Jessie, the wife of their friend Adrian. Jessie is played by Cassandra Cheek, who manages to bring both a gravity to the role and a fun side. The switch between her competitive, fun side to her determined and professional one is impressive and shows a great range.
Jessie also has a dry humor at many points, which contrasts nicely against the cheesy humor the three guys often display.
Outside of the actors, the show itself is extremely well put together. Carl Moore did an excellent job directing the actors and the set is beautiful. Additionally, the music chosen is both fun and emblematic of the era these characters are trying to relive.
Overall, the show is a humorous story that hopes to teach audiences about living life to the fullest and not planning your life on expectations.
The show runs weekends through May 18. For ticket information you can visit MCT's website.