“Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” a charming, modern romantic comedy by Sarah Ruhl, is now on stage at the intimate Masquers Theatre in Point Richmond. Mariah Castle does an excellent job portraying Jean, a young woman who ends up enriching other people’s lives largely by downplaying her own. Jean takes advantage of a chance encounter and follows it through to magical effect in this entertaining blend of human tragedy and spiritual renewal.

Chuck Isen makes his Masquers debut as Gordon, the unlovable organ purveyor who dies suddenly while dining at a sidewalk café. Isen does get to say a few words in some narrative flashback scenes, and he does it well. We get to see enough of Gordon’s character to help imagine what his family members might be feeling.

Jean is first to discover Gordon’s body, and her response introduces the surreal aspect of the play. After making a feeble attempt to solicit help, Jean decides that the best thing she can do is to answer the dead man’s cell phone — but she doesn’t seem to have the nerve to tell the phoning party that the man has just died, so she poses as an acquaintance of his and simply takes a message. Jean soon finds herself meeting with the man’s family, and gradually reveals to them the truth about how she “knew” their dear departed.

Ruhl was a poet before she became a playwright, and a poetic writing style comes through under director James Nelson’s sensitive guidance. “We’ve come to think of Jean as a blank slate, a kind of canvas in which the other characters paint themselves,” he notes. “We’ve explored this with specific use of color and space.”

Indeed, while Jean is outfitted all in beige, each of the other characters appears in his or her own distinctive color. Dead-man Gordon sports muted shades, capped with a brown sport coat — perhaps indicative of the muddy nature of his occupation. Gordon’s mother, played by Lynne Hollander, dresses in purple, a good match for her assertive energy. Gordon’s brother Dwight (Dominick Palamenti) wears a pale Kelly green ensemble, also a good fit for his humble, clean-spirited personality.

Dwight also owns a stationery store, interestingly enough, a room stocked with blank pages just waiting to absorb the written thoughts of future customers. It’s an apt place for him to approach Jean as he tries to draw her out of her pale cocoon.

Shannon Kase plays Gordon’s wife Hermia, who has tolerated her loveless marriage in part by pretending to be someone else during their lovemaking — a revelation she makes to Jean in a priceless performance during the second act. Kase is patently deadpan at first, which makes it all the more enjoyable to watch her character blossom in later scenes.

Jean is like a chameleon, drawing out the colors from Gordon’s loved ones. She appears to have no color of her own, which may be the reason she is drawn into the role she assumes. She is craving something as she clings to her mission, but doesn’t seem ready to be fulfilled. She’d rather “answer the phone” than allow anyone to return the favor of her kindness.

Castle is well suited to the role, creating a character that feels like a friend you’re just getting to know. Each of the other players reveals a lovably imperfect soul, and the audience gets to feel their sense of resolution as they ease into a new balance in their lives.

The point of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” is a philosophical one. It is a picture of the lasting impressions people make on each other and how that shapes who we all are. It is heavy with surrealism, yet the connections the characters make are vivid. It is a thoughtful play, sprinkled with warmth and humor, that is fun to watch.

If You Go
“Dead Man’s Cell Phone” continues at the Masquers Theatre, 105 Park Place, Richmond through June 28. Tickets are $22 and are available by calling 510-232-4031 or online at masquers.org.

Elizabeth Warnimont is a freelance writer specializing in the performing arts. She is also a substitute teacher for the Benicia Unified School District.