In this political season, an interesting new work is being presented at Dillard University, that explores the degree to which we allow ourselves to be defined by and have our lives affected by political ideologies and beliefs.

In The Zeitgeist Chronicles, playwright Stephen Montagne tackles a wide range of ideas and arguments but in this workshop production, more refinement of those ideas is necessary before this work is ready to be further shopped around.

As we are barely a month away from the presidential election, The Zeitgeist Chronicles revisits the so-called Hope and Change election of 2008, viewing it through the eyes of several sets of characters. With a large cast, the storylines cross a variety of racial, socio-economic, political, religious and generational points of view.

Using that election campaign as the backdrop, Montagne creates a fairly compelling group of characters. At the center is a New Orleans family watching its ill and aging patriarch still struggling to survive several years after losing his home and business in Hurricane Katrina. Others include a Southern-born liberal reporter and staunch Hillary Clinton supporter who is interviewing a dying relative, a reformed racist now supporting Barack Obama; a 25-year-old Mormon standup comedian and his Rat Pack era mentor, an atheist now living in a retirement home.

While the play is aiming for a relevancy today, Montagnes framing of his story with the last campaign primaries and all is its most cumbersome aspect. We are not far enough removed from that election cycle for it to be seen fully and fairly from a historical perspective. And without examining the subsequent four years of the Obama presidency, that campaign alone doesnt have the relevance to affect the November 2012 election.

In addition, while the playwright does seek some sense of balance, its clear that he is primarily attempting to be an Obama cheerleader. Ignoring any accomplishments or failures of the current administration, hes not looking for the reelection of President Obama; through the wistful haze of a faux nostalgia, he wants to resurrect candidate Obama, and all that talk of hope and change.

On whichever side of the aisle one sits, this is political discourse about as deep as a Facebook posting or Twitter monologue. The scenes of grown men still acting like boys playing with their Star Wars toys becomes an all-too fitting metaphor.

The common political theme, while intended to give the piece its cohesiveness, is overwrought, and unfortunately overwhelms the more interesting personal stories that Montagne creates.

The most intriguing and perplexing character is Ethan Grey, the Mormon standup comic, struggling with his past and who wants to remain true to his faith while faced with numerous temptations to its moral strictures. Played with conviction by Taylor McClellan, Ethans journey rings true. His interaction with Dorothy, a friend of his mother, makes for some of the most touching moments. This is due largely to Janet Sheas quite lovely performance as Dorothy, a spitfire of an old gal, who has a lot of straightforward wisdom to share with her younger protge.

The wisdom of age also is seen in Spencer Howards portrayal as Terence Thompson, the dying father who sees his family being split apart. It would be easy to play him as a gruff, foolish old man. But Howard shows the spark within the character that is blunt but cuts through layers of bull to make his point. As his two oldest sons, Damien Moses and Martin Bats Bradford also are effective.

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Personal tales more compelling than political drama in 'Zeitgeist Chronicles'