Mike Newquist balances a tightwire act in Fully Committed

Actor Mike Newquist delivers a one-man show titled Fully Committed at The Den Theatre this March. He plays Sam Callahan, an actor like himself from the Midwest. He works in the office of a popular Manhattan restaurant where Sam is alone, manning several telephones as people call to make reservations. Things quickly become difficult to manage after an influx of demands from high-maintenance clients.

There's a rainbow of personalities represented over the phone line, ranging from celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal to a celebrity assistant for Gwyneth Paltrow, Bryce. The audience witnessed family drama and hearing Mike pronounce Carolann Rosenstein-Fishburn's name makes Fully Committed worth the price of admission alone.

Fully Committed is a fast-paced and can be stressful to watch as things amp up. The back-and-forth dialogue that Newquist conveys onstage may confuse ticket holders at first andf takes some getting used to. The actor is required to voice almost 40 different personas and make each of them distinct while coordinating several telephones.

There's only one performer to critique here and Newquist carries all of this commitment on his shoulders. The sound cues would be tough for anyone to navigate, but Mike did a nice job on opening night with only a few stumbles. Over time, the transitions will smooth out, so the audience can adjust more easily to all of his vocal styles.

Fully Committed is a circus act where the ringmaster juggles multiple personalities like spinning plates until the very end.

Sam's last name was changed from Peliczowski as the play has been updated over the years. Jesse Tyler Ferguson portrayed Sam on Broadway for the revival in 2016. Newquist's interpretation is worth checking out and he's passionate about a piece that's much more than an acting exercise. Some viewers will leave the theater feeling better about their place of employment after watching someone suffering from possibly the worst job in history.

Fully Committed rings true in Theatre 2A at The Den Theatre, 1331 North Milwaukee Avenue, from now until March 28.