Steve, Zeitgeist Stage Company, Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, through March 24.617-933-8600 or bostontheatrescene.com
Old Money, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company,Carling- Sorenson Theater, Babson College, Wellesley, through March 18.866-811-4111 or commshakes.org
Are gay relationships and gay parenting really very different from straight ones? Mark Gerrard's incisive Off-Broadway hit ''Steve"-now in a wonderfully affecting Hub premiere by Zeitgeist Stage Company-makes the answer a resounding ''no.'' The title character is a past chorus boy and now stay-at-home Manhattan partner and parent, who early on alludes to Jewish trader Shylock's famous speech about his humanity in ''The Merchant of Venice'' with the rhetorical variation "Hath not a half-Jew eyes?'' Steve may not indicate from which parent he derives Jewish ancestry, and the remark may seem to apply only to his sighting of Argentinian-American waiter Esteban. Even so, this ostensibly minor point sets a sub-textual tone for respect.
As Gerrard's play proceeds (mostly in New York City but also on Fire Island), Steven sometimes rages about the possibility that his lawyer partner Stephen has been unfaithful to him. Eventually Stephen actually admits to sexting after the recovery of his cellphone-found in the possession of the partners' unseen child Zack-reveals his indiscretion. Could Steven be retaliating with charming Esteban? Will Steven and Stephen reach an understanding? Will Steven's confidant Carrie, vulnerable in both relationship and health, help the realization of such an understanding? Ultimately Gerrard's play not only deals with the complexities of this gay 'extended family' but also convincingly suggests that the characters' relationships are universally compelling.
As the relationships evolve, Zeitgeist artistic director David J. Miller keeps the pacing tight and the cast members' characterizations vivid. Victor Shopov's Steven may sound a bit too volatile in the early going, but he soon modulates his tone so that his character's insecurities become as noticeable as his anger. Jenny Reagan brings both strong feeling and growing fragility to her portrayal of cancer-ridden Carrie. Alex Jacobs perfectly captures Stephen's ambivalence and internal conflict-especially during a singular IPhone exchange with Mike Nilsson, properly overly sensual as Brian, the partner of Steven's best friend Matt. Mikey Di Loreto catches Matt's reflective nature-particularly in a scene-stealing moment of candid advice with Steven. Adam Boiselle makes the most of ubiquitous dancer Esteban's combination of grace and geniality. Michael Clark Wonson's nuanced lighting smartly underscores characters' moments of tension and understanding.
''Steve'' is as much a celebration of friendship and love that withstand mistrust as a sharp examination of gay relationships. Zeitgeist Stage makes that examination a vital experience for all theatergoers.
* * *
Wendy Wasserstein explored women's rights in her Pulitzer Prize-winner ''The Heidi Chronicles.'' Sibling solidarity and Jewish pride are significant themes in her affectionate comedy ''The Sisters Rosenzweig.'' By contrast, the late playwright's centuries-comparing effort ''Old Money'' brings together women's concerns, Jewish nouveau riche characters battling anti-Semitism and a variety of family generations. Wasserstein's interesting play may seem too thematically busy at times, but Commonwealth Shakespeare Company gives it lively currency at Babson College's Carling- Sorenson Theater. Director Karen MacDonald, a premier actress herself (numerous IRNE and Norton awards), demonstrates impressive facility guiding the first-rate cast that brings to vivid contrasting life the distinct characters attending the 2000 and early 1900's get-togethers at the play's Fifth Avenue, New York City mansion setting.
A playbill director's note speaks of the playwright's observations about the opulence and ''A list'' guests at a late 1990's dinner party that sparked her idea for the play. Quite fittingly, the CSC cast itself is a combination of ''A'' list actors like Will Lyman, Jeremiah Kissel and Veronica Anastasio Wiseman and soon-to-be ''A'' list performers like Eliott Purcell and Amanda Collins. Lyman captures the talented, mercurial mansion architect Schuyler Lynch-spoken of as caught in a scandal with a schoolboy-as well as the ailing, vulnerable old money scion Tobias Vivian Pfeiffer III. Kissel catches the adventurousness of Jewish entrepreneur Arnold Strauss and emotionally conflicted though successful 2000 mansion owner Jeffrey Bernstein. There are equally strong double performances from Wiseman, Purcell, Collins and the rest of this very talented ensemble. Credit goes as well to Charles Schoonmaker for sharp period costumes and Jon Savage for an elegant, well-detailed scenic design.
''Old Money'' resonates tellingly in wealth-dominated early 21st century America. Wasserstein may not quite make a major statement here, but CSC's engaging production is ''A''-list lovely.