I Like Ike

Broadway veteran John Rubinstein was a true tour de force in the New Los Angeles Repertory Company’s Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground by Richard Hellesen, presented by the Ensemble Theatre Company at the New Vic.

Directed by multi-award winner Peter Ellenstein, the two-hour show, with simple but effective scenic design by Michael Deegan and Sarah Conley, and lighting design by Esquire Jauchem, is a compelling exploration of one of America’s most influential leaders and a poignant reminder of the resilience and vision required to lead a nation.

The one-man show delves into the life and legacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower, offering an intimate portrayal of the man behind the presidency.

Rubinstein, who I last saw on The Great White Way in Children of a Lesser God in 1980 – a production that won Tony for best show – is quite superb in the role, perfectly capturing every nuance of his subject – who served as 34th president from 1953 to 1961, dying in Washington, D.C. in 1969 at the age of 78, having served as Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe.

The show had limited four-day run, but was well worth watching…