By Lynn Venhaus

When is a sandwich not just our daily bread, but a symbol of an American Dream and the sustenance we need for nourishment? When it’s the specialty of the house at “Clyde’s.”

Lynn Nottage’s pungent work thrives as food for the soul – as in redemption, second chances and the power of food as community. It is surprising in its depth of flavors and the power in its connection.

Starting out as gray and bleak as the winter weather, “Clyde’s” combines zesty, peppery comedy and tough-as-nails drama led by an exceptionally sinewy, robust ensemble.

As they convincingly weave tales of dashed dreams and delayed hope, many layers reveal themselves slowly once we embrace this hub — a grungy truck stop diner in the struggling Rust Belt city of Reading, Penn.

The gritty location is important, because it ties into Nottage’s Pulitzer-Prize winning 2015 play “Sweat,” about what happens when the town’s economic center, Olstead’s Steel Tubing plant, goes on strike. Most of that play’s main characters work there, as have their families, for generations.

The town’s manufacturing industry decline, resulting in high unemployment and abandoned factories, is represented by the withdrawn character Jason, who is a part of both scenarios. In “Sweat,” he goes to prison for badly beating a Columbian busboy.  In “Clyde’s,” he is on parole and desperate to outrun his past. You feel Brendan D. Hickey’s anguish.

Clyde hires ex-cons, as she is one herself. But in her cruel tirades and harassment, she reminds them that she gave them a second chance when no one else would. As played by Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Clyde is as fiery as her red-haired wig and mean in a nasty irredeemable way.

Despair is heavy in the air, for the ragtag staff seeking a glimmer of hope and a brighter day. They are between a rock and a hard place, trying to earn a living as they keep paying their debt to society. The stakes are high for them not to mess up again and return to prison.

They eventually become each other’s lifelines.

Rafael (Alfredo Antillion) wears his heart on his sleeve. The master of the grill and the fryer, he tries to be a cheery coworker. Now clean and sober, he served time for robbing a bank with a BB gun when he was high, to buy his girlfriend a pedigree dog.

He is sweet on his co-worker, Letitia (Essence Anisa Tyler), known as “Tish,” who has a disabled daughter and a worthless baby daddy.  She served time for stealing prescription drugs from a local pharmacy. She knows her options are limited. She likes to project a tough exterior, but she is not hardened – yet.

As Montrellous, Ron Himes is the heart and soul of this operation. As Rafael says “He’s like Buddha, if he grew up in the hood.” It’s a sturdy, grounding performance to marvel at, makes you believe in the goodness of people.

A wise sage whose selflessness is remarkable, Montrellous believes in the power we have in ourselves to create opportunities. He is an artist in the kitchen too, crafting delicious blends of bread, meats, cheeses, condiments and garnishes. He calls his creations “sublime,” and his belief wins the staff over.

They soon collaborate by describing various flavor combinations. If your mouth doesn’t water as they imagine appetizing versions, then you may have no taste buds.

His zeal is contagious, and soon his co-workers’ creativity is in overdrive. Their efforts get noticed by a local food writer, but Clyde doesn’t care. Through this invigorating endeavor, the staff feel worthy, and they display a renewed sense of purpose. They work together as a team, and in the motivational word of Ted Lasso: “Believe” – especially when their boss wants to beat them down.

Even though Nottage wrote “Clyde’s” in 2021, before “The Bear” premiered as a television series, it shares that unmistakable sense of time and place, of found families, and what “family dinner” means — that food is love, food is community.

“Clyde’s” kitchen characters renew a faith in their contributions, that they could do something worthwhile. For people trying to make a fresh start, someone’s belief in them could be a catalyst, could make that difference.

With the guidance of Prison Performing Arts organization’s staff, they have brought insight and meaning to the difficulties of the former incarcerated trying to navigate re-entry with roadblocks in their way.

Josiah Davis directs with a full heart and a sharp eye for human comedy, and this vibrant cast comes together through rocky journeys and believable transformations. With Davis’ empathy and grace, they don’t make a false step.

The technical aspects are also first-rate, with a realistic restaurant kitchen by set designer Jean Kim, and working/casual attire that suits the characters’ personalities, designed by costumer Haydee Zelideth and wig designer Shevare Perry. Lighting designer Christina Watanabe uses a mystical approach and works in sync with sound designer Michael Costagliola.

At times, Nottage’s plot is shaggy, but the ensemble’s authenticity – in both the bitter and the sweet – pierces our hearts for an indelible impression.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “Clyde’s” Feb. 5 – March 2 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. The runtime is 105 minutes without intermission. Tickets can be purchased online at www.repstl.org or by phone at 314-968-4925. The box office is also open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and two hours before the curtain.

Rush Tickets: Available for students, seniors, educators, and theatre professionals by calling the Box Office at 314-968-4925, 1 – 2 hours prior to curtain time.

Student Tickets: Students can purchase $20 tickets available by calling the Box Office at 314-986-4925

A RepresentSTL talkback following the performance on Feb.15 will further engage audiences in meaningful dialogue.

The Rep has also partnered with Laughing Bear Bakery, which supports re-entry opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, and will have their goods available at concessions during the run of the show.