PTC’s ‘Morrie’ improves on book

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who cry when they read Mitch Albom’s mega-hit book “Tuesdays with Morrie,” and those who don’t. I’m in the latter group. In fact, I found the book bland, sentimental and flatly written. Kind of like “The Bridges of Madison County” but truer.

Theatergoers flocking to the Penobscot Theatre Company stage version of “Tuesdays,” running through Nov. 18 at the Bangor Opera House, roughly fall into the same two categories. I held my tearless ground the night I saw the show, but I was surrounded by snifflers. A lot of them.

For those who have been living on another planet since 1997, when Albom’s book came out, “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a student-teacher buddy tale in which the elderly teacher (Morrie) is dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease and goes on national TV as a commentator about his own deterioration. His former student (Mitch) sees the broadcast and subsequently spends every Tuesday learning from the master about life, death, and pretty much more life and death. Stop reading RIGHT NOW if you don’t want to know the outcome, or if you somehow haven’t figured out that Morrie dies in the end.

The play is obviously very sad. But the way Albom tells it, it is also very saccharine and not all that interesting as a theatrical work. Mitch’s self-important observations and Morrie’s aphoristic approach to profundity can wear thin quickly. We get the lessons packaged neatly: Love is more important than money. Trust yourself. Don’t go with the crowd. Fame is empty. Dance a lot. Call your wife.

Yeah, yeah.

With all due respect to the real Morrie Schwartz, a sociology professor who was clearly extraordinarily brave and generous in his friendships and life work – not to mention his death, “Tuesdays” is a Hallmark approach to tragedy. In other words, the way Albom reveals Morrie’s extraordinary quality is terribly easy to swallow.

Thankfully, Scott R.C. Levy offers an elegant, well-acted rendering of the story. Indeed, an improvement. Levy, who worked on the original off-Broadway production, quickly extended the PTC show for an extra week because he knows “Tuesdays” appeals to many people. Why else would the book have been on the New York Times best-seller list for four years straight? Albom’s new book, the novel “For One More Day,” is now No. 2 on the Times’ list, and at this writing, was trailing only Stephen King’s “Lisey’s Story.” There was also a 1999 TV movie, which won four Emmy Awards.

So don’t take my word for it. I’m way in the minority with this one.

And if you’ve gotten this far, you should go to the show largely because, to my infinite gratitude, Levy cast actors who do not sugarcoat an already syrupy script, which is co-written by Jeffrey Hatcher. Thomas A. Ryan has a gentle, lovable, fluid way about him as Morrie, whose delight in life and pain in death are carefully portrayed. As Albom, Kent D. Burnham is the right combination of slick, unaware, self-absorbed and pretty. He is – as he should be – shamelessly unappealing. The men work seamlessly together, and they offer no small amount of grace in their performances.

Millions of people have claimed to be enlightened and comforted by “Tuesdays with Morrie” – in all of its formats. Who knows? Maybe Morrie will help you “find what’s good and true and beautiful in your life.” Bring tissues – just in case.

Penobscot Theatre Company will present “Tuesdays with Morrie” through Nov. 18 at the Bangor Opera House. For tickets, call 942-3333.