“Sometimes love doesn’t look like love.”

That one statement from the second act of Sheltered by Alix Sobler, the current production of the Jewish Repertory Theatre, pretty much sums up this powerfully moving story. And it’s true: sometimes love is sacrifice, letting go, opening your mind and your heart, or turning away. Yes, love is many things…and when the world is on the brink of war, love is also daring and bold and not the least bit romantic.

Sheltered takes place in May of 1939. World-wide headlines are setting the stage for change….but Martin Bloom (Adam Yellen) is more captivated by a production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, as a perfect slice of American life. He’s regaling friends Leonard (Peter Horn) and Evelyn (Rebecca Elkin) in their lovely Providence, RI home, about the show he and his wife Roberta (Maria Pedro) saw, and when Leonard attempts to divert the conversation to world affairs, Martin is more interested in the appetizers and Leonard’s new Cadillac…while boorishly dissing his wife. He doesn’t know that his friends are more than aware of what’s happening in Europe: they are preparing to take part and take action. When the women are alone, Evelyn confides in Roberta – while also trying to repair the damage to their apparently longer friendship – that she and her husband are traveling to Vienna to bring 40 Jewish children to the US to live out the terrors that are just beginning, and might the Bloom family be willing to house a child.

When Act 2 begins, Evelyn and Leonard are in Vienna, interviewing prospects and trying to decide which 40 children to save. They are at odds: the decision is arduous and Vienna is more frightening than they imagined. And then Hani (Gretchen Didio) calls. She’s the mom of one of the prospects and she’s starting to have her doubts. Is this what a mom should do?

This script – based on a true story about a couple from Philadelphia – is outstanding. From the testy dynamics of a fractured friendship to a tenuous marriage, an deliberately obtuse husband, a wife with regrets, two others with heart-wrenching decisions to make, and a couple who are social justice exemplars, there is a gamut of emotion packed into two hours. Director Kyle LoConti coaxed amazing performances from this team. Elkin is elegant and strong as Evelyn and gives her admirable wisdom. Her chemistry with Horn is palpable and authentic. Yellen and Pedro are also well-paired: she gives Roberta a surprising resolve, and Yellen, well, outside of his role a couple seasons ago in Second Generation Theatre’s comedic Bowling Play, he totally nails his roles as the guy who you just totally hate. It’s Didio who captured my heart: her motherly anguish is deep and you feel her doubt that she may never see her child again. Her expressions and body language and perfectly nuanced accent (good work, dialect coach Gerry Trentham) are exquisite.

The look of the production is superb. JRT always gets it right: a spare set with just-so set pieces and some wonderful imaging (when Leonard parts the drapes in his Vienna suite to check outside), yes, you are suspending reality and you see those drapes that aren’t there). Kari Drozd’s costumes suit the scenes and the characters and Brian Cavangh (lighting designer), Tom Makar (sound designer) and Chris Cavanagh (set designer) laid in the right vision and vibe.

Yes, this is the show you’ll think about on the ride home and for hours after. It will also make you appreciate – even more – about the depth of theatrical talent we’re so blessed to have here. Sheltered is onstage to March 1. Tickets and details at https://www.jccbuffalo.org/events/jewish-repertory-theatre/.

Sheltered