Genius on Tap: ‘Picasso at the Lapin Agile’ at The Players Guild of Dearborn
If you’ve ever wished you could eavesdrop on two geniuses at the exact moment the world was about to change, Picasso at the Lapin Agile is that fantasy brought to life, with plenty of punchlines along the way. The Players Guild of Dearborn’s production of Steve Martin’s clever and unexpectedly cozy comedy feels like stepping into a lively bar where the drinks are strong, the ideas are stronger, and everyone has something to prove. It is smart without being smug, absurd without losing its heart, and in this staging, wonderfully present in every moment.
[Warning: spoilers from The Players Guild ofDearborn’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile are below!]
The show and why it works at The Players of Dearborn
Steve Martin wrote Picasso at the Lapin Agile as an “impossible meeting” play. On one night in 1904 at a Parisian watering hole, a young Albert Einstein and a young Pablo Picasso cross paths just before they each revolutionize how humanity understands the world. One will redefine our relationship to time and physics. The other will help explode the rules of art itself.
But because it is Steve Martin, the play refuses to stay purely intellectual. It is also a comedy about ego, flirtation, creative insecurity, and the obsessive desire artists and thinkers have to matter. It is just as interested in what genius feels like as it is in genius itself.
The Players Guild of Dearborn leans into the piece’s greatest strength: intimacy. The audience is close enough to feel like patrons at the Lapin Agile themselves, catching side glances, conspiratorial whispers, and those small pauses where you can tell someone in the room is thinking, “Did I just get insulted by Einstein?”
This is the kind of play that thrives when performers trust the text and the rhythm, and DPG’s production builds that rhythm with confidence. It keeps the evening buoyant even when the conversations tilt into philosophy.
Cast highlights and standout performances from Picasso at the Lapin Agile
What makes this production land is its deep commitment to character. This isn’t a show you can coast through. It’s talky by design, and the comedy is built from tension, timing, and the tiny shifts of power inside each conversation. The Players Guild of Dearborn understands that the laughs don’t come from rushing. They come from letting the room breathe.
As Albert Einstein, Nathaniel Booth brings a quietly magnetic presence that grounds the role in humanity rather than history-book stiffness. His Einstein is observant and analytical, but never robotic. Booth’s delivery has a precision that feels right for a mind that measures everything, yet he never loses the charm and subtle awkwardness that keeps Einstein relatable. You get the sense Einstein is always thinking, always processing, always a beat ahead, but still human enough to be drawn into the bar’s drama. Opposite him, Kaleb Buonavaara-Ingram is a genuine thrill to watch as Pablo Picasso. His Picasso doesn’t simply enter the bar. He claims it. Buonavaara-Ingram captures the bold confidence of a genius who knows he’s destined for greatness and expects everyone else to recognize it immediately. He’s sharp, flirtatious, competitive, and undeniably funny. His scenes with Einstein crackle because neither man wants to concede power, and yet both are deeply intrigued by the other.
In a show full of towering personalities, Tom Varitek plays Freddy with a grounded charm that provides essential balance. Freddy functions as the everyman in a room full of intellect and artistic ego. Varitek’s easy presence makes him feel like someone the audience could actually meet at a bar. His reactions are comedic gold because they’re honest. He’s often trying to keep up, trying to understand, trying not to be left behind as the geniuses spar, and Varitek nails that relatability. As Gaston, Norb Nowak offers one of the most satisfying supporting performances in the production. Nowak plays Gaston as a man who has seen every kind of chaos and is rarely impressed by anyone’s posturing. His reactions, glances, pauses, and deadpan delivery add texture to the world of the bar.
Ashley Gatesy shines as Germaine, bringing an energy that changes the atmosphere the moment she arrives. Germaine is not a passive character in this play. She is a catalyst. Gatesy plays her with confidence and intelligence, fully aware of the power she holds in this space. There’s a layered precision in how she navigates the room, how she handles attention, and how she draws out jealousy and fascination from the men around her. She is charming without being naive and bold without being cartoonish. Then there’s Josh Beurer as Sagot, a standout for pure comedic impact. Beurer brings bold physicality and sharp delivery that cuts through the intellectual banter like a splash of cold water in the best possible way. Sagot shifts the tempo of the show whenever he’s in the room, and Beurer makes those shifts count. The role demands a performer who can go big without losing control, and he strikes that balance beautifully. He’s unpredictable, but never messy.
Rounding out the ensemble, we have Stephanie Mustonen as Suzanne, Casey Coulter as Charles Dabenow Schmendiman, Kori Bielaniec as The Countess/ Admirer, and Dylan Hart as The Visitor. Overall, this cast chemistry is the biggest win. Everyone understands that Picasso at the Lapin Agile isn’t about delivering jokes in isolation. It’s about listening, reacting, and letting egos bounce off each other in a space that feels authentic.
Final thoughts on Picasso at the Lapin Agile
The Players Guild of Dearborn’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile is proof that you do not need spectacle to be entertained. Sometimes the most thrilling theatre is watching brilliant people be messy, vain, insecure, flirtatious, defensive, inspired, and painfully human. Then you remember you are watching the early sparks of minds that will echo through history.
This production is funny, sharp, thoughtful, and deeply enjoyable. It is the kind of show that sends you out into the night wanting to debate art and science over drinks, or at the very least wanting to argue playfully with your friends about which genius you would rather be stuck at a bar with for three hours.
If you like theatre that makes you laugh and think, this one is worth the drive to Dearborn. Don’t wait to grab your seats for Picasso at the Lapin Agile; this production is a limited run, closing on January 25th, and performances can fill up fast. Snag your tickets today and treat yourself to a night of laughs! Are you going? Tell us on social media @BSBInsider
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