By Dana Casadei

If you want a big reward, sometimes you have to take a big risk. But how can you know when to take it? If you’re Planet Ant Theatre, you just need an extremely unique script and quartet of ace actors to know the reward will be well worth the risk. Anywhere else “Bringing Up Baby New Year” could have been deemed too risky, a little too strange, but this gem is one of the best year-end sendoffs an audience could ask for.

Like many Planet Ant shows, “Bringing Up Baby New Year” isn’t afraid to go far out of the box. It’s under an hour, has an insane number of characters portrayed by four actors, and willingly gets a little weird.

As the show starts, a couple – Britta Peele and Jamen Spitzer – are on their way to the hospital discussing how the baby she’s about to have may not be his. They both think, and sort of hope, the baby’s father is the guy on her list of celebrities she can sleep with, Baby New Year, and it is. As the new Baby New Year (Shawn Handlon) enters the world, the previous one dies.

See, Baby New Year is only alive for a year; he’s like “Benjamin Button in reverse, but speed up.” Over the course of 12 months, we watch as Baby New Year deals with being in the very public eye, going through it all: that awkward stage of puberty, being someone that parties too hard, a mid-life crisis, and then as a man that wants to leave his mark on this world. “I’m here to break tradition,” he tells members of the UN’s ICHOP (International Committee for Holiday Observance Protocol). Baby New Year wants to be more than just a celebrity that every girl hopes will become the father of their child.

Handlon, who directed the show and co-wrote it last season, is simply fantastic as Baby New Year. His mannerisms at times reminded me of Bill Murray, a comedic giant, and he ages gracefully throughout the 50 minutes. You feel for him as a struggling adolescent, cringe slightly as he goes through his mid-life crisis, and root for him as he nears the end of his short life. As far as his directing goes, the show moves unbelievably quickly between scenes, but has transitions that are so smooth. The music choices also help with the changes.

Handlon’s co-stars – Peele, Vanessa Sawson and Spitzer – are no slouches either. Each plays multiple characters, ranging from his sort-of loving parents, a Texas millionaire trying to get his daughter pregnant, hard-core partiers, celebrities, newscasters…this list could go on for a while; I probably shouldn’t give it all away. Like many Planet Ant shows, a quick coat change or added mustache transforms them into another character. But the costumes are only one part. The trio each take on new accents and mannerisms for each character they play, even if it’s only for a line or two. It’s like watching a master class on character distinction.

One of the many things Planet Ant does so well, besides producing some of the most unique shows you’ll ever see, is the constant pop culture references that come at you faster than the Flash. No celebrity is safe from Dyan Bailey, Lauren Bickers, Dave Davies, Handlon and Mike McGettigan’s script. And it sure is fun to watch. Their script also does wonders with jokes that run throughout the entire show, especially in regards to their celebrity list.

“Bringing Up Baby New Year” is Planet Ant at its best. It’s quick, quirky and will be giving the theater constant rewards for years to come.