Ever since Dragnet, audiences have been obsessed with dramatized crime, punishment, and redemption. And while most pieces delve into the psychological behaviors of criminals, few of them lift the lid on the tics of police officers to reveal their motives and maneuvers.
Fortunately for us, Playwright Pedro Antonio Garcia has given us a fresh take on the theme in his tightly crafted and gripping play The Witness Room . Garcia knows the material well. For decades, he was a criminal defense attorney. He occasionally still practices. In an interview with Broadway World, Garcia said, “Personally, everything I write is either based on versions of cases I’ve handled or have been involved in.” Fewer things are more dramatic than life itself so his perspective is a welcome one.
Here, we are introduced to four haggard members of the NYPD: Terrance (Moe Irvin), one of the more rational cops among his colleagues, TJ (Dave Baez) an arrogant and crass type who hides vulnerability beneath bravado, Kevin (Jason SweetTooth Williams) a well-intended guy described by District attorney Volpi (Tricia Small) as “a f—ing alkie who reeks of Hennessy as if he grew up in the Bowery and a crook just like his old man.” JD Mollison rounds out this ragtag crew as Eli, a recent convert who found God and is struggling with conscience to be honest.
For Eli, it’s a challenge given that his fellow officers are advocating for him to lie on the witness stand over a drug charge.
Garcia poses many issues here concerning race, justice, and the ethical qualms faced by police officers on a daily basis. While it doesn’t beg understanding from the audience to side with them, it reveals reasons why they make the decisions they do in the line of duty.
Director Will Blum keeps the action moving at a breakneck speed and there is never a dull moment in this piece that runs a mere 75 minutes. Whether or not it makes one more cynical or sympathetic to the men in blue and the justice system will depend on personal experience. Nonetheless, it’s a crackling night of theater with great writing and a stellar cast.
The Witness Room is now playing Off-Broadway at the AMT Theatre
354 West 45th St – between 8th & 9th Ave. Through October 6, 2024. For tickets and information, click here.