Trust, Next to Normal

 
Astarry cast is the main attraction of Paul Weitz’s Trust, a world premiere dramedy that attempts to explore the relationship between people and power through the prisms of wealth and S&M domination. It has fitful results. But the cast is so good that the play and Weitz’s confused ramblings don’t matter. Scrubs star Zach Braff is terrific as a recently minted millionaire looking for meaning in his life when he stumbles on a former classmate working as a dungeon dominatrix—played to understated perfection by the amazingly versatile Sutton Foster. Foster’s smart but unmotivated boyfriend, the sinfully sexy Bobby Cannavale, sees a potential goldmine in Braff and attempts a boneheaded blackmail scheme with predictable results. Meanwhile, Braff’s wife—smartly played by Ari Graynor—who had heretofore checked out of her wealthy but meaningless existence, decides to benefit from a new line of work courtesy of Foster’s inspiration. You’ll wish there was more “there” in Weitz’s musings about discontentment, but the chance to see these wonderful actors is definitely worth a summer’s evening. It’s especially gratifying to see Sutton Foster get the chance to showcase her range in a play instead of a musical. Time after time, whether it’s Foster in Trust, Rebecca Luker in A.R. Gurney’s Indian Blood or Marin Mazzie in last season’s ill-fated Enron, our musical theater divas continually prove they’re divas because they really can do it all.
 
And speaking of Marin Mazzie, she and her talented, handsome husband, Jason Danieley, recently took over the lead roles of Diana and Dan in Tony- and Pulitzer-winner Next to Normal (music by Tom Kitt; book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey), and they’re dazzling. Naturally, no woman could summon the edginess and manic energy that Alice Ripley brought to the role (which won her a Tony), but, then again, Ripley often sang flat, which was grating to those of us in the audience who care about pitch. Mazzie, on the other hand, puts her own unique stamp on the part, bringing a calmness and clarity to it while never sacrificing the emotionalism and despair (or the pitch!) brought on by bipolar disorder. For his part, Danieley is a revelation, making the most of this chance to play a complex contemporary character whose fate is inextricably intertwined with that of his wife. Meghann Fahy steps up to the role of Natalie with grit and honesty and Kyle Dean Massey is sensational as her brother, Gabe. Stalwarts Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson continue in their roles, making them look as effortless as they have all along.    N
 
Trust plays through September 12 at 2econd Stage (305 W 43rd St, 212-246-4422). Next to Normal plays Booth (222 W 45th St, 212-239-6200).