Sasha Diamond and Ben Rosenfield Photo by Daniel Rader

Before audience members find their seats and as they await the show to begin, an LP placed upon a downstage turntable complete with wooden frame warms everyone with songs like "Both Sides Now," "The Times They Are A-Changin,'" "Sweet Baby James," "The Sounds of Silence," "Turn, Turn, Turn," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," and more. It's a most welcoming compilation, an enticing invitation to enjoy. Scenic designer Wilson Chin provides a house interior which includes old lamps, a cozy-looking couch, and various tables. The action takes place in late September and, accordingly, a number of trees, with leaves turning shades of red and orange, are stationed at various locales around the cabin.

Beth (Molly Jobe) takes the initiative with her husband Tom (Bill Army) to get out of the city for a drive to a family cabin on Lake Mahkeenac in Stockbridge. The couple bring along Allan (Rosenfeld), who is Tom's younger brother. Jordan Locklear (Sasha Diamond) appears soon after Beth, Tom, and Allan arrive. Jordan spend her childhood in the house next to Beth's parents' summer place. Beth and Tom are 36 while Jordan and Allan are 32.

Beth hopes a getaway will breathe new life into her relationship with Tom, who is high-powered and temperamental. Tom is clearly a Type A kind of guy and his wife hopes he can relax. Beth and Tom are more than surprised to see Jordan, for whom Beth was a babysitter. Jordan and Allan were more than casual friends back in another day and Ben Diskant does a nifty job as he unveils storyline layers. The scripting shifts from the current day (at the outset) to 1996, 1986, and a pivotal moment in May of 1991. Director Alan Paul wisely projects various years upon a rear screen. That said, it's still easy to get the time sequence confused and that issue might require further thought to ensure clarity.

Allan and Jordan were once romantically involved and Diskant is at his best when he supplies the characters dialogue to provide individual perspective about what just what happened. Each has a very different take on the experience. Jordan is accusatory when she references a particular situation which broke her heart and the relationship. Diskant withholds Allan's revelation until well into the production. Allan's explanation is catalytic: everything changes. To divulge the episode and implications would mar a potential viewer's experience.

Bill Army, a disciplined actor with multiple Broadway credits to his name, is solid as Tom, who is solid but not likable. Molly Jobe, who has also been on Broadway, is similarly consistent as Beth. One feels for Beth who wants more out of life than a mundane routine. She hopes for more enlightening days. Sasha Diamond has been cast in a number of New York productions. Her Jordan is, at first, distant and downtrodden. Ben Diskant wants Jordan to have a future, and her more positive dialogue encourages Jordan the possibility of better days ahead. Diamond's facial expression becomes more agreeable, she carries herself with greater fluency, and is, in all, more appealing than during her first moments on stage. Having appeared in many New York City shows, Ben Rosenfield now plays Allan, Diskant's most complicated character. The perplexed Allan seeks meaning if not happiness. Rosenfield is highly skilled and he provides a nuanced, engrossing performance.

Director Alan Paul's mission, which he achieves, involves a significant amount of movement in the midst of some charged, emotional dialogue. This is not a simple task, for no part of the 85 minutes (the play's running time) is expendable.

Ben Diskant is also a composer, lyricist, and illustrator. As an actor, he had appeared both on and Off-Broadway. The words he has written for The Weekend ring true and his characters are both accessible and recognizable, while some are more sympathetic individuals than others. Alan Paul has demonstrated great expertise directing musicals. Given both the playwright's and director's musicality, here's a final question: Who chose the selections for the stunning initial soundtrack, a compilation of songs out of the 1960s and early 1970s which feels perfect for a play set, for the most part, between 1996 and 1986?

The Weekend: A Stockbridge Story runs through October 12, 2025, at Barrington Stage Company, St. Germain Stage, 36 Linden St., Pittsfield MA. For tickets and information, please call 413-236-8888 or visit barringtonstageco.org.