Presidential politics continue to divide us as a nation, but Eventide Theatre Company’s “Assassins” is a surprising unifier.

The semi-revue won five Tony Awards in 2004 (including Best Revival of a Musical), after opening off-Broadway to mixed reviews in 1990, and only running for two months. Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins” focuses on the many attempted and sadly successful assassinations of our nation’s presidents.

The dark comedy opens innocently enough, at an all-American carnival, but everything shifts when the shooting range proprietor (Ari Lew), patriotically wearing an American flag-covered blazer, hands out guns to “kill a president.” It becomes apparent the gun enthusiasts are the infamous assassins, and Lew sinisterly encourages them to use their arms, through the upbeat song “Everybody’s Got the Right.” 

Beau Jackett is eerily memorable as John Wilkes Booth, especially when he takes on the forbidding leadership role of the assassins. After Booth kills Lincoln without remorse, Michael Cameron enters as the Balladeer singing, “Lincoln only had mixed reviews, but now only raves.” He insists through Booth’s actions that he paved the way for other mad men. 

Dressed like an all-American teen, Cameron, along with Lew, convincingly tell the stories of the assassins. Some of them are disenfranchised or have a cause, but most are just plain crazy, with all of the highly talented actors fully fleshing out their characters.

Fred Carpenter plays Leon Czolgosz, the lonely anarchist who kills William McKinley. When Guiseppe Zangara, portrayed by Oliver Kuehne, attempts to assassinate Franklin D. Roosevelt, killing the mayor of Chicago instead, he says it’s okay as long as someone controlling the money died.

Charles Guiteau has delusions of grandeur and kills James Garfield when he refuses to make him Ambassador to France. As Guiteau, Randy Doyle is increasingly crazed, as he heads to the gallows hauntingly singing “I’m Going to the Lordy.” 

Holly Hansen and Sam Hurwitz play opposite each other as the two mentally unstable women, Sara Jane Moore and Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, respectively, who individually attempt to kill Gerald Ford, at different times. Hansen is hilarious as the fried chicken-loving, absent-minded housewife, complete with a West Virginia accent. Ivan Carpenter adds to the humor playing her tantrum-throwing son. Hurwitz is intense as her hippie character proclaims her love for and devotion to Charles Manson.  

In love with Jodie Foster and wanting to get her attention, Terrence Rex Moos plays an emotionally shy John Hinckley, Jr., who attempts to assassinate Ronald Reagan.

Dressed in a Santa suit, Brett Baird is wonderfully over the top as Sam Byck, who plots to kill Nixon. Baird is hilarious, switching between a calm and cleverly rational man, to a creepy bellowing lunatic, bringing Jack Nicholson from “The Shining” to mind.

Director Joan McKenzie-Baird and musical director Chris Morris have created a tour de force with their notable cast of 17. The rest of the ensemble includes: Carryl Lynn, Kevin Kenneally, Peter Cook, Susanna Creel, Laura Garner and Virginia Ohlson.

Sondheim is known for his sophisticated and challenging music, and the play cleverly weaves popular musical trends from each President’s term, while also including heartwarmingly ironic patriotic music. 

Amy Canaday’s thoughtful costumes place each character perfectly in their time frame. Guy Trudeau’s set design portrays a surrealistic carnival atmosphere.

There are many stand-out performances in Eventide’s latest thought-provoking musical, but one especially deserves special mention: teenage local Michael Cameron, who is back on Cape, after studying at Walnut Hill School of Arts. As the Balladeer, he lightheartedly embodies the American spirit of resilience and hopefulness, b

ut at the end of the play, Cameron masterfully transitions into a desperate and confused Lee Harvey Oswald, who markedly changes the American landscape.

Presidential politics continue to divide us as a nation, but Eventide Theatre Company’s “Assassins” is a surprising unifier.

The semi-revue won five Tony Awards in 2004 (including Best Revival of a Musical), after opening off-Broadway to mixed reviews in 1990, and only running for two months. Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins” focuses on the many attempted and sadly successful assassinations of our nation’s presidents.

The dark comedy opens innocently enough, at an all-American carnival, but everything shifts when the shooting range proprietor (Ari Lew), patriotically wearing an American flag-covered blazer, hands out guns to “kill a president.” It becomes apparent the gun enthusiasts are the infamous assassins, and Lew sinisterly encourages them to use their arms, through the upbeat song “Everybody’s Got the Right.”

Beau Jackett is eerily memorable as John Wilkes Booth, especially when he takes on the forbidding leadership role of the assassins. After Booth kills Lincoln without remorse, Michael Cameron enters as the Balladeer singing, “Lincoln only had mixed reviews, but now only raves.” He insists through Booth’s actions that he paved the way for other mad men.

Dressed like an all-American teen, Cameron, along with Lew, convincingly tell the stories of the assassins. Some of them are disenfranchised or have a cause, but most are just plain crazy, with all of the highly talented actors fully fleshing out their characters.

Fred Carpenter plays Leon Czolgosz, the lonely anarchist who kills William McKinley. When Guiseppe Zangara, portrayed by Oliver Kuehne, attempts to assassinate Franklin D. Roosevelt, killing the mayor of Chicago instead, he says it’s okay as long as someone controlling the money died.

Charles Guiteau has delusions of grandeur and kills James Garfield when he refuses to make him Ambassador to France. As Guiteau, Randy Doyle is increasingly crazed, as he heads to the gallows hauntingly singing “I’m Going to the Lordy.”

Holly Hansen and Sam Hurwitz play opposite each other as the two mentally unstable women, Sara Jane Moore and Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, respectively, who individually attempt to kill Gerald Ford, at different times. Hansen is hilarious as the fried chicken-loving, absent-minded housewife, complete with a West Virginia accent. Ivan Carpenter adds to the humor playing her tantrum-throwing son. Hurwitz is intense as her hippie character proclaims her love for and devotion to Charles Manson.

In love with Jodie Foster and wanting to get her attention, Terrence Rex Moos plays an emotionally shy John Hinckley, Jr., who attempts to assassinate Ronald Reagan.

Dressed in a Santa suit, Brett Baird is wonderfully over the top as Sam Byck, who plots to kill Nixon. Baird is hilarious, switching between a calm and cleverly rational man, to a creepy bellowing lunatic, bringing Jack Nicholson from “The Shining” to mind.

Director Joan McKenzie-Baird and musical director Chris Morris have created a tour de force with their notable cast of 17. The rest of the ensemble includes: Carryl Lynn, Kevin Kenneally, Peter Cook, Susanna Creel, Laura Garner and Virginia Ohlson.

Sondheim is known for his sophisticated and challenging music, and the play cleverly weaves popular musical trends from each President’s term, while also including heartwarmingly ironic patriotic music.

Amy Canaday’s thoughtful costumes place each character perfectly in their time frame. Guy Trudeau’s set design portrays a surrealistic carnival atmosphere.

There are many stand-out performances in Eventide’s latest thought-provoking musical, but one especially deserves special mention: teenage local Michael Cameron, who is back on Cape, after studying at Walnut Hill School of Arts. As the Balladeer, he lightheartedly embodies the American spirit of resilience and hopefulness, but at the end of the play, Cameron masterfully transitions into a desperate and confused Lee Harvey Oswald, who markedly changes the American landscape.

Details:

What: “Assassins” 
Where: Eventide Theatre Company, 713 Route 6A, Dennis
When: Through March 1
Tickets: Call 508-398-8588