“Make Believe”:  where reality and fantasy are blurred

The 1930’s in Hollywood were a magical time. Every story had its happy ending. There was a boy for every girl, a girl for every boy. There were no problems with race, sexual expression, class, or exploitation. It was a Golden Age in every respect.

And, above all, that image had to be maintained, no matter what.

This is the era in which New Jersey Repertory Company’s latest production, Make Believe, is set. Written by John Biguenet, this world premiere play takes a peek behind the fantasies spun by movie studios to reveal a grittier side of life than would ever appear on the silver screen. It is a drama that beguiles you into hoping for the best for its characters, even though you think you know how things will turn out for them. 

We first meet actor Bailey Hunter (Quentin Chisholm) as he enters a slightly seedy motel room somewhere in the Hollywood hills. His agent has arranged a phony tryst with a prostitute, Eleanor (Ellis Cahill) for this evening. It seems that Bailey’s romantic inclinations are gay – something his studio does not approve of — and therefore closeted. A juicy story in the scandal sheets involving a “married woman” would easily solve the studio’s problem.

Bailey is young and ever-so-slightly naive. Eleanor has been there and done that before, as she shows him the ropes in creating a plausible scandal. Bailey, using his acting training, creates a backstory for himself and Eleanor that will convince the scandal mongers of the “truth” of their relationship. As they get deeper into the creation of their story, the lines begin to blur between the real Bailey and Eleanor and the fictional ones.

Quentin Chisholm breaks your heart as Bailey. He’s an innocent for all that he’s been working in the dream factory. You feel sorry for him — and all other actors and actresses caught in similar situations — for having to conceal his true self for the sake of Hollywood’s safe, conformist ideals. Ellis Cahill’s Eleanor has long since given up on being anything beyond the prostitute she’s been forced by circumstances to become. Watching these two lost souls struggle to retain some dignity within the tragic farce for publicity’s sake, one has a glimmer of forlorn hope that things will turn out well for these two.

Playwright Biguenet manages to weave humor throughout Make Believe. One of the comic highlights is when Bailey — cast in a musical while not being able to sing or dance — tries to do a jazzy version of the Irving Berlin classic “What’ll I Do?” for Eleanor. With imperfect pitch and unsynchronized rhythm, he earnestly mangles the song beyond recognition, reducing the audience to laughter — especially while watching Eleanor’s unbelieving reaction. In this, as in every scene, Artistic Director SuzAnne Barabas successfully guides her actors through the shifting emotional demands of the script.

As always, the amazing technical staff at NJ Rep comes through with their usual stylish skills. Scenic Designer Jessica Parks, with the help of Lighting Designer Jill Nagel and Sound Designer Nick Simone, create a prosaic motel room nestled in the Hollywood hills. Patricia E. Doherty’s costumes, while being perfect for the 1930’s, act as a sort of protective layer of persona for Bailey and Eleanor.

Make Believe is one of a long line of plays presented by the New Jersey Repertory Company that are both intimate and powerful. I repeat myself by saying that NJ Rep is New Jersey’s best-kept theatrical secret, and that their productions deserve a wider audience. NJ Rep is regional theatre at its best — daring, adventuresome, and thoroughly entertaining. You owe it to yourself to visit them, and I urge you strongly to do so, especially for some captivating Make Believe!

Make Believe is presented by the New Jersey Repertory Company at the Lumia Theatre in Long Branch through Mar. 9, 2025. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to njrep.org or call 732-229-3166.