Cleveland Play House’s ‘Primary Trust’ is a floating dream across a calm pond

With all the “crazy” going on right now it is a real treat to attend a theatrical show that does not shake you up, spin you around and bounce you up and down mentally. Such a show is the Cleveland Play House production of Eboni Booth’s “Primary Trust” now on stage in the Outcalt Theatre at Playhouse Square. It is a simple show of “trust” and “friendship” but more importantly “connecting”.

I could relate through the entire premise as I am sure most of the audience could as well. I recalled during the show how dozens of seemingly insignificant details as a young man led me to find the love of my life. If any of these “happenings” had not happened we would never have met. We celebrated out 45^th wedding anniversary this past June.

I could also relate to the trauma of losing a job that you held for 20 years and excelled in. I was downsized in my late 50s when employment options were scant. After two days of moping I took a week off and spent it with my sons ripping out the backyard jungle undergrowth that had been untouched for some twenty years. This exercise had a cathartic effect and I was able to focus on my next move.

It was a chanced encounter with an instructor at “Job Connections” who encouraged me to pursue my writing and photography career and to trust that the money would eventually flow once again. Her advice was heeded and I have had the great fortune to photograph and write about some of the collest activities and shows that Cleveland has to offer. There have been some ups and downs but generally it has been a great ride.

Enough about me, so back to “Primary Trust”. Kenneth (Debo Balogun) is a young Black man who grew up in the town of Cranberry, New York (a fictional north suburb of Rochester). It is a small town much like thousands of towns sprinkled across America. With 15,000 or so residents, it has a post office, bowling alley, church, a couple of banks, a used book store and a couple of surprisingly upscale restaurants. At the tender age of 10, Kenneth’s mother died suddenly and not knowing who to call or what to do dragged the body into the kitchen storage closet where he stayed with her for six days.

He was rescued by Bert (Carl Hendrick Louis), a social worker who stayed with him until his placement in the local orphanage. Although Bert promised to keep in touch, it never came to pass so young Kenneth developed his own imaginary best friend “Bert” that has supported him into his adulthood.

When he came of age at the orphanage, Kenneth was hired on by a chain smoking and cussing book store owner, Sam (Christopher M. Bohan) where he has worked for twenty straight years keeping the books, restocking the shelves and living with the dust of the store that carries its own distinct scent.

Sam is pretty cool about Bert as well as the serving staff at Wally’s Tiki Hut (New York’s oldest Tiki bar). They allow Kenneth to double order the two for one Mai-Tai’s and pretty much ignore the one sided conversation coming from his table. Wally’s is Kenneth’s second home where he spends each night (except most Sundays) getting hammered.

Kenneth’s life takes a severe turn when Sam announces he is closing the book store in two weeks and moving with his wife to Arizona for health reasons. Back at Wally’s Kenneth meets the newest waitress, Corrina (Brianna Miller) who befriends the troubled man and suggests that The Primary Trust Bank (the same as his mother had worked at years ago) is hiring.

At the interview with the bank manager, Clay (also Christopher M. Bohan) Kenneth relies on promptings from Bert in order to get through and be hired. Once employed, Kenneth uses his skill of attention to detail to excel. Things seem to fall back into the old familiar pattern of Bank, Wally’s and Bert when a disgruntled bank customer overturns the apple cart that is Kenneth’s life.

As for the actors, they are superb. Debo Balogun as Kenneth underplays the role with the proper balance of emotions. You really like him and are rooting for him to win. Carl Hendrick Louis as Bert is cool personified. He is the kind of guy we would all love to call our best friend. He is loyal, a good listener as well as talker who cares. The fact that he is imaginary is piffle. We could all use a “Bert” in our lives.

Christopher M. Bohan plays two distinct parts of Sam the crotchety book store owner and Clay the caring bank manager both with aplomb. Brianna Miller as Corrina as well as numerous ensemble parts is perfect as the girl who is a friend rather than a girl friend. Lastly, Meredith Nelson and Adam Ortega tackle the various remaining roles of Tiki Bar staff (with their insipid “Welcome To Wally’s” mantra) to bank customers and French cafe’ staff. They are superb as well. Fact is the entire cast works extremely well in presenting a believable performance that draws all of us in.

Raul Abrego’s scenic design is sparse but totally functional with just enough props to maintain the proper level of belivability. Aja M. Jackson’s lighting design segments the stage into distinct areas adding to the realism. DJ Potts’ sound design adds little touches of music and environmental sounds that further enhance the show. Of note also is Eliza Ladd Schwarz as movement coordinator whose direction is vital to the flow of the show. It should also be noted the importance of costume designer Suwatana “Pla” Rockland who outfitted everyone in distinctive and unique costumes that hid their identities. Brilliant! The production is directed by Sideeq Heard who has managed to unearthed a true diamond in this simple concept and polished it until it glows.

If there is one word that I would use to describe this show it would be “silk”. It flows along softly, caressing our minds and fitting closely to our various body types without disturbing us in any way. There are no brass bands or uninhibited dance numbers or even show stopping songs. It is simply 90 minutes (without intermission) of quietly reflective theater designed to enlighten and entertain. Sometimes that is just enough.

The Cleveland Play House production of “Primary Trust” will be on stage in the Outcalt Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio through March 1, 2026. For more information and tickets go to https://www.clevelandplayhouse.com or call (216) 241-6000.