High, a new play by Matthew Lombardo, is far from a happy story. The play is one about 
two characters, Sister Jamison Conelly and Cody Randall. Sister Conelly (Kathleen Turner) is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who became a nun to help others like her. She works in a Catholic treatment center along with Father Michael (Stephen Kunken).
A new patient named Cody Randall (Evan Jonigkeit) is admitted to the recovery center against his own will after having drugged and killed a 14 year old boy. He works along Sister Conelly, also suffering her own problems, unwillingly. He seems to feel more comfortable talking to her than anyone else. He doesn’t stay clean though, and leaves the treatment center to get some heroin.
Father Michael, later on, is found out to be Cody’s uncle. He enables Cody by giving him money and letting him off the hook numerous times. Sister Conelly scolds him for this but he doesn’t listen. The same situation repeats again as Cody is left on his own in the real world. Sister Conelly finds him in an alley, overdosing on heroin and then dying.
Throughout the story line, Sister Conelly has several monologues to the audience about how she became an addict and alcoholic. She is guilty of killing her sister indirectly, allowing her to be raped and murdered right under her nose and not being aware. She 
was also envious of her sister’s looks and popularity.
The set was very sparse but stunning. During Sister Conelly’s monologues, all props and walls went away, allowing a starry night sky to cast its shine down on the stage. During the scenes, there would only be partial walls (with doors) and a chair or two.
Overall, I thought it was a very moving play but not one for all ages. The message was profound and one cannot be afraid of hearing the truth. There is cursing, a nude scene, raw details of the life of drug addicts and yet it was performed superbly.
High
Booth Theatre
April 23, 2011
Marina B. Nebro
