‘Staggering’ Toward Greater Understanding

An actor-musician with a “severe allergy to poverty,” Rik Reppe left behind his starving artist roots, took a PhD in economics and started his own successful management consulting firm. Happily occupied with the pursuit of prosperity, Reppe found his life rudely interrupted by the events of Sept. 11, a day that left him grasping for answers, reassurance and a renewed sense of connection with his fellow countrymen and women.

Taking a leave of absence, Reppe went on a cross-country odyssey that culminated in visits to the Pentagon, ground zero and that lonely stretch of Pennsylvania where Flight 93 took its fatal plunge. En route, Reppe interviewed Americans--all struggling, like himself, to come to terms with that senseless, shocking day.

Reppe’s solo show “Staggering Toward America,” now at the Globe Playhouse in West Hollywood, is a frequently witty and highly personal assessment of the post-Sept. 11 American landscape, with a particular emphasis on what, exactly, it means to be an American. Reppe’s encounters en route to the disaster sites are heartening, humorous and occasionally moving.

Under the direction of Jack Rowe, Reppe comes across as a wry, engaging performer with a residual twang and a sardonic folksiness that serve him well. Sometimes, though, Reppe slips into blatant sentimentality, as in his heartfelt but saccharine story of a girl who offers her favorite teddy bear for the Sept. 11 victims.

Reppe’s belabored suggestion that we should all “find our teddy bears and give them away,” metaphorically speaking, is too precious to wield any true emotional clout.

More affecting and far more apt is Reppe’s rousing description of an impromptu karaoke Christmas concert at an Indiana truck stop. That hilarious and heartwarming incident, in which singers of all colors and religions came together in joyful celebration, makes a serious point about egalitarianism and inclusiveness--virtues that are alive, well, and flourishing in these United States.

“Staggering Toward America,” the Globe Playhouse, 1107 N. Kings Road, West Hollywood. Thursdays-Sundays, 8 p.m. Ends Sept. 15. $25. (310) 941-2063. Running time: 2 hours.