“Lonely Planet” is a touching tribute to gay male friendship

Steven Dietz’ play Lonely Planet makes a more-than-welcome appearance at Luna Stage in West Orange. The play is about a non-romantic friendship between two gay men. That rarity alone is enough for me to encourage you to see it, but its humanity, its unsentimental look at two men navigating an uncertain time, its basic decency and humor cause me to urge you to see it.

Lonely Planet takes place in “a small map store on the oldest street in an American city,” as the program describes it. Jody, the owner, routine and reluctant to change,  begins his daily shop opening only to find a chair in the formerly chairless shop. The arrival of his free-spirited best friend Carl leads to the revelation that Carl put the chair there. As the play progresses, Carl brings more chairs, filling the shop with stacks of chairs, each one a different style and color.

An unnamed disease is spreading through the city, and Jody is increasingly reluctant to step outside the doors of his shop. Carl persists in urging Jody to go out into a world Jody regards as dangerous. The play progresses to a point where the pair take on a bit of each other’s outlook. Jody gains a little boldness; Carl loses some self-confidence.

The cast, directed with sensitivity by Melissa Firlit, is exquisite. John Keller’s Jody is a man who has let his fears constrict his world. He forms a shell he hopes will keep him safe but only succeeds in cutting himself off from everyone. Dustin Ballard’s Carl is that expansive friend who is positive about life and living. He is determined not to let Jody live a life of pseudo-safety and acts, verbally and physically, to save his friend. Keller and Ballard have a chemistry that makes it easy to believe these two men have known each other forever and care deeply for each other. It is a joy watching them interact through their characters.

The way Carl and Jody’s relationship is portrayed is a delightful surprise. They are not in love with each other; they have never been in love with each other; and they never plan to be in love with each other. It is refreshing to see a deep and honest friendship between two men, let alone two gay men, in which romance plays no part. It is a rare gift, and playwright Dietz is to be praised for creating this.

Lonely Planet is a heartwarming tale for a late autumn’s evening. Carl and Jody are people of a kind you probably know, and this episode in their friendship is touchingly portrayed. Luna Stage is to be honored for bringing such a piece to life. I cannot more strongly encourage you to see this show before its all-too-brief run ends. Wander down that old street to the map store and make friends with this Lonely Planet.

Lonely Planet is presented by Luna Stage in West Orange through Dec. 8, 2024. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to lunastage.org or call 973-395-5551.