‘Light Years’ at Signature: the story of a father and son told through music

Robbie Schaefer in “Light Years.” [Christopher Mueller]

By David Siegel

How does someone pay honor to a deceased parent whom they loved dearly? How does a son give thanks to his father? And when does a son really come to learn what a father went through, in those many years before the son was even born?

In a gentle, sweet retelling of his relationship with his own dad, singer-songwriter Robbie Schaefer does all this through music—with an autobiographical song cycle with a recognizable arc—in a show called “Light Years” now playing at Signature Theatre. The music has lovely guitar-driven melodies and voices from six characters that bring a most gratifying evening. “Light Years” as a production is both an indie-folk music concert and a theatrical production.

So who is Robbie Schaefer and why should an audience be interested in his idiosyncratic musical autobiography? Schaefer is likely well known to those in the local indie-folk music scene as the guitarist and songwriter for the band, Eddie From Ohio.

“Light Years” is the story of a father (Konnie) and a son’s devotion to each other as they journey through life and travel around the world, together and separately, in current times and through flashbacks to the past. As in any normal parental relationship, there are times when neither understands nor appreciates the other.

The show allows the audience to know Robbie as a young boy with hearing issues (“Deaf My Sweet Ass” is a theatrical show stopper), who takes to music as a way to express himself. We later get to know Robbie as a husband.

Along the way, the audience becomes more knowledgeable about Konnies’s mysterious past. One of the most poignant moments comes through the song “Hide and Seek” when questions are asked such as: “Dad, have you ever been to war?” Konnie only answers these questions later in the production, when his mind is racked with dementia, and the answers are chilling.

Bobbie Smith as Konnie is a pleasure to watch. Smith, a protean actor and singer, is a dependable performer at Signature productions. Smith is one of what every organization needs to survive and thrive: that individual who will be there to give his best no matter what; the person who is the heart of an organization’s success.

Young Robbie (John Sygar) and Middle Robbie (Luke Smith) give life to their parts through scenes and songs about fishing and looking into the night sky (“Constellations,” “21 Thousand Years”). Natascia Diaz is Annie who meets Middle Robbie in the songs “Cute” and “After All.” She adds a dose of reality as a wife who lets her husband know she is lonely and feels forsaken in the musical number “Happy.”

Some things in the production befuddled me. The lack of raised voices is one. The invisibility of Robbie’s mom as a person in his life is another. And there is thread about a sinking ship full of redwood that was an interesting opening, got lost, then reappeared.

The small band comprised of Sarah Foard (violin), Doug Lander (keyboards) and Paul Keesling (drums) was a well-tuned group. While the overall musical scheme is understandably guitar-driven, I would have enjoyed orchestration to highlight Foard’s violin and increase the number of organ riffs from Lander to add additional aural interest. They are really fine musicians. Why waste what you have by keeping them always in the background?

There was plenty of dash in the singing harmonies of the duo of Natascia Diaz and Kara Tameika Watkins with choreographed movement by Kelly Crandall d’Amboise that sparkled. Kudos to creative team video designers Mark Costello and Zachary G. Borovay. With about a dozen screens at the rear of the set, there was regular visual interest beyond the actors to give a sense of place and time.

“Light Years” is a very personal musical about one particular father and son’s journey. It is just right for anyone interested in an appealing musical journey into a father-son relationship that is not bombastic or snarky. You will not leave Signature humming a tune or remembering a lyric, but you will remember that fathers and sons can love one another, even if they don’t hug or show outward signs of their devotion, until perhaps too late.

Where and when: “Light Years” plays through March 4 at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Shows are Thursday through Sunday evenings plus matinees on Saturday and Sundays. There are several specialty events including opportunities to discuss the show with the cast on Feb. 27 and 28. Purchase tickets online or call the box office, 703-820-9771.


This review is based on a piece by David Siegel that originally appeared in DC Metro Theater Arts.