Ivan Howe, Stanley Simons, and Julius Rinzel Photo by Ahron R. Foster

By "young," I mean 13 and 14. This is no small matter, because typically roles such as those being so authentically performed by Ivan Howe and Julius Rinzel would be portrayed by suspension-of-disbelief-defying actors in their 20s delivering dialog that places them into the "small adult/wise child" category of cloying adorability or unrealistically sophisticated wit.

Not here, though. The match between script and performances of these central roles is spot on. Yet there is nothing "youth theatre" about The Saviors, and blessedly, for a play set in a Catholic church, there are no cliché judgmental or unsavory clergy skulking around, only the voice of the Bishop addressing the congregation as we enter the theater, itself housed in the historic East Hall of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Chelsea.

As the production unfolds, two major themes emerge. One is about the social/emotional changes that mark early adolescence: a growing recognition that parents and other revered adults are not so easily categorized, a greater reliance on peer relationships, an urge for self-identification, and the testing of boundaries. Each of these significant milestones is captured in the writing and the performances, including the subtle differences in maturity between the slightly younger 13-year-old Michael (Howe) and 14-year-old Paul (Rinzel).

The two boys are tight friends and students in the Catholic school affiliated with the church (rendered with an eye to authenticity in David Zinn's set design). Both are also preparing for their confirmations, and, as altar boys, they have been entrusted with carrying out various duties before and after worship services. Mostly this involves setting up and putting away ritual accoutrements, as well as being responsible for unlocking and locking the doors to the outside. We observe them carrying out these tasks with a practiced hand. But what makes it a treat to watch is the playfulness in which they approach their work, goofing around, making up silly competitions, and indulging in genial horseplay, but also sharing ideas of faith and plans for the future.

One day, however, just before they are about to lock up for the evening, a stranger (Stanley Simons) comes bursting in. Why he's there and how he interacts with the boys is somewhat mysterious, and it will take some time to unravel his role in the overall scheme of things. Significantly, however, his presence leads Paul into questioning his beliefs and the trajectory of his life as he gets ready to attend high school. Because of this, cracks start to develop in his relationship with his friend Michael, who still clings to the comfort of expectations and predictability and whose emotions are churning, one of the many joys of pubescence.

A fourth character, Judy (Crystal Finn), who is the church's ace volunteer, is also a significant and trusted person in Michael's life. However, like the visiting stranger (whose name, we learn, is Julian), she is far more complicated than she seems when we first encounter her, kind and dedicated, but a bit edgy, with a tendency to overstep boundaries.

I mentioned earlier that there are two major themes that emerge here. Our emotional connection is tied to the interactions between Michael and Paul, at times so personal that it feels as though we are invading their privacy. But there is also a philosophical component to the play, one that invites us to consider the foundational underpinnings of the church, or, really, of any organized religion. Through their actions and interactions, all four characters demonstrate that the institutions of religion are dependent not on their hierarchy of designated leaders, but on the faith, hope, and charity that their adherents willingly offer up in exchange for whatever they individually and collectively derive from membership. We look at Michael, Paul, Julian, and Judy and wonder who will stay and who will go.

This certainly has been a banner year for playwright Bubba Weiler, whose Well, I'll Let You Go received five Drama Desk nominations and two Outer Critics Circle awards just a couple of months back. This increasingly spotlighted writer is only in his early 30s himself, which is a couple of years older than Jack Serio, the director of both this play and Well, I'll Let You Go. I look forward to seeing more from the two of them in the near future, as well as from the teenage stars who are doing a top-notch job delivering the goods in The Saviors.