John & Jen a Musical
Two Hander at Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge
By: Charles Giuliano - May 24, 2026
John & Jen a Musical
Music by Andrew Lippa
Lyrics by Tom Greenwald
Book by Tom Greenwald & Andrew Lippa
Directed by Gregg Edelman
Music direction by Nicolas Perez
Scenic design, Jason Simms
Costumes, Amanda Roberge
Sound Joanna Lynn Staub
Cellist Jillian Emerson
Percussion Emma Kroll
Cast; Samantha Gershman (Jen) Jake Bentley Young (John)
Berkshire Theatre Group
The Unicorn Theatre
Stockbridge, Mass.
May 20-June 7, 2026
Scale is the dominant sense of the intimate and cozy Unicorn Theatre of Berkshire Theatre Group. This was wonderfully conducive to experience a unique two hander, a musical featuring the coming of age of siblings John (Jake Bentley Young) and Jen (Samantha Gershman).
The minimalist set by Jason Simms features a set of stairs that then spirals into a broad curving platform with a raised edge. The back of this conceals props such as a signifying baseball glove that punctuate the taut narrative. In this setting, with period specific changes including Jen in hippie attire designed by Amanda Roberge, the tightly calibrated duo enact three decades of their intimate, at times, fraught relationship.
Remarkably, Tom Greenwald & Andrew Lippa, created a two act play in which all of the dialogue is set to music. In that regard it is more of a miniature opera that a conventional musical. There is the compelling sense that we are experiencing something quite unique and miraculous. This is, perhaps, a paradigm of not so grand opera. While entirely sung the musical accompaniment is hardly operatic in scale. An unseen trio, led by music director Nicolas Perez, is sparing but apt with keyboard, cello and sharply accented percussion. The music which is tasked with tightly advancing the narrative, now and then, settles into ersatz arias that energized the audience.
The synchronicity of Gershman and Young is unique, rare and remarkable. Their familial bond, through song, is entirely engaging and credible.
She is older and serves as mentor and protector. He bonds with and depends upon her nurturing. This creates conflict and rupture when she departs telling him to “Grow up.” This has tragic consequence which riddle her with remorse.
There is a cradle to grave arc to the narrative. We initially encounter Jen standing above John curled into a fetal position. Soon, as children, they are celebrating Christmas. John is sitting on the stairs waiting for Santa. That joy and innocence is dashed when they see their parents fighting. We learn that Dad is an abuser and bully. When John is struck in the face he says that he deserves it because he broke a glass.
The years are ticked off and it is the era of Vietnam and youthful rebellion. Pleading with her to stay, Jen departs for Canada with her draft resistant boyfriend. Left behind John is influenced by his father, a WWII vet, to do the right thing and fight for his country. He enlists in the Navy and act one ends with news that he has been killed in action.
The second act begins with Jen as a single mother. The son is named John. There is the mantra that her brother’s death is the result of abandoning him to their abusive and doctrinaire father. She vows not to make the same mistake.
In many ways, at time confusing, the second act mirrors the first. Again there is the ritual of Christmas and gift giving. John resents that he has been given the passed down baseball mitt of Uncle John. The other kids have new and better ones. Jen insists on the significance that it was the one her brother wore.
There is the dramatic device of reversal. This time conflict arises when her son is admitted to Columbia. Again Jen’s selfishness is revealed. While she abandoned her brother now she can’t let go of her son.
As an audience member who lived through the decades of this musical there were many flash points of identity with the characters and their circumstances. In that regard this is a heart warming generational experience.