Star Performance Anchors ‘Lobby Hero,’ a Darkly Humorous Tale at Shattered Globe Theatre: Review

Marc Vitali | February 6, 2025, 1:08 pm

A scene from Shattered Globe Theatre’s production of “Lobby Hero.” (Michael Brosilow)

In “Lobby Hero,” four characters get caught in a web of lies as they try to provide cover for themselves, their family and their friends.

It might have been a cautionary tale, but no easy answers are supplied.

It’s also surprisingly funny for a show that doesn’t shy away from darkness.

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The plot involves an overnight security guard in the lobby of a high-rise. He tries to please his tough boss while two police officers investigate an awful crime. Before long, the conflicts are tied together in a knot that’s tough to untangle.

We witness people making bad moves — trying to do the right thing yet doing the wrong thing, and vice versa.

One can’t help but wonder: What would I do in a sticky situation like this?

This absorbing play is partly about the pecking order — superiors and inferiors, those in power vs. those who are outranked and outclassed. Principles get compromised, confidence is breached, and pressure rises on everyone.

It is fertile ground for drama or comedy, and “Lobby Hero” is both.

Since it premiered off-Broadway in 2001, the play has been a magnet for actors.

The 2018 Broadway revival earned Tony nominations for Michael Cera and Brian Tyree Henry. David Tennant performed in its London debut, and last year Aubrey Plaza and Casey Affleck starred in a benefit performance.

A scene from Shattered Globe Theatre’s production of “Lobby Hero.” (Michael Brosilow)

The cast at Shattered Globe is uniformly terrific, and there is one standout in the showiest of the four roles.

Elliot Esquivel plays Jeff, the hapless security guard who can’t keep his mouth shut. Esquivel is utterly charming, and he has a thriving physical presence on stage. He can be simultaneously klutzy and graceful. He’s so lovable and engaging that when he’s under threat, we worry for his safety. Let’s hope the good roles keep coming for this uncommon young actor.

Esquivel is surrounded by a trio of performers who stand their ground. Terence Sims as Jeff’s boss is a sympathetic straight-arrow. Emma Jo Boyden is a rookie cop with a few surprises up her uniformed sleeve. And Adam Schulmerich convincingly portrays a veteran policeman with a mix of bravado and smugness.

The play was written by Kenneth Lonergan, who wrote the Oscar-winning screenplay for “Manchester by the Sea” (2016). Lonergan also wrote “This is Our Youth,” which had a solid production at Steppenwolf in 2014. His 2000 play “The Waverly Gallery” was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Nate Santana directs with a feel for both the humor and the drama. The set and music are intentionally drab and beige, like most lobbies. Lighting and sound design narrow the focus at key moments — sometimes subtly, sometimes less so.

It’s a play that asks difficult questions: Would we exonerate the guilty if given the chance? What if they were family? How far should our loyalty go?

In “Lobby Hero,” alibis and lies can be useful, comical or deadly serious.

Shattered Globe’s production of “Lobby Hero” is playing at Theater Wit (1229 W. Belmont Ave.) through March 1.