Wrda Hussain reviews ONE MORE FINE DAY

Caitlyn Waltermire Leonard’s production of One More Fine Day follows a story of Teddy Cewell and the tragic mishaps that occur in a mental hospital. This dark musical comedy captures the essence of the lifestyle of mental patients residing in hospitals. Set in a mental institution, The Happy Home, during the 1970s, we acquire an insight about various patients and their behavior with different mental health issues. This play accurately describes the treatment patients receive in these hospitals, where they are given heavy doses of prescriptions, meaningless group meetings,  and neglected by doctors. The message provided in this play is clear and it’s to showcase the wrongdoings transpiring in psychiatric facilities.

Caleb Leonard plays the role of Teddy Sewell, a mental health patient with copious amount of anxiety, who upon arriving at The Happy Home soon learns the way of things and people residing there and eventually falls for a girl named Carole Collins (Kelsey Waltermire). The actors in this production were all wonderful and spoke with grave intensity adding to every dialogue and the tone of each character. The storyline flowed perfectly and was engaging throughout the play. The humor was understable and relative as well as created a sense of connection between the actors and its viewers.

Attention to detail in this play was also taken very seriously. Shoes had no laces, pills were administered and – as the period dictates – smoking happened. The costumes were practical – uniforms and appropriate t-shirts each with a heart imprint, representing the logo of the hospital. These little details really impacted in creating a realistic atmosphere on stage that mimicked a psychiatric hospital. The musical aspect of this play was wonderful, the songs were catchy and their voices were just stunning. Each song had a different tone and revealed a part of a character’s past. By the end of the production you’re left feeling for each character and the mishaps they go through.