Unmarried in America

Playwright:  K.D. Carlson

Company:  Vintage Theater Company

Venue:  Vintage Theater, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora, CO 80010.



Running Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission). 

Date of Performance:  Sunday, May 31, 2015.  This is a world premiere production.

Unmarried in America is set in 2010 California, during the Proposition 8 trial.  The issue in that trial was whether a voter referendum (Proposition 8) that amended the California Constitution to prohibit same sex marriage was constitutional. To make a long and complicated legal story short, the Proposition 8 amendment was nullified and same sex marriage became legal in California.

Julie Wolf Butters (Court Reporter), Tom Auclair (Boyfriend).

Turning years of litigation into a cohesive, entertaining script is a task few would take up, but playwright K.D. Carlson has delivered a remarkably engaging drama out of dry legal briefs.  This is an ensemble piece, with a central character (nearly a narrator at times) to tie things together.  Julie Wolf Butters plays the Court Reporter, who sits in the courtroom every day, transcribing the witness testimony for and against marriage equality.  She brings her work home with her, discussing the issues with her longtime Boyfriend (Tom Auclair).

  

Carlson turns what could have been a dull legal exercise into an engaging human drama by focusing less on the legal and more on the personal.  The result is sometimes funny, sometimes touching, but always an honest story of real people struggling one of the great social upheavals of our time.

L-R:  Jeff Jesmer (Gary), Julie Wolf Butters (Court Reporter), Suzanne Wellens (Mom), Zack Nick (Son).

Director Wendy Moore puts the entire ensemble onstage for most of the play.  Actors are in the background, seated, acting as a sort of Greek chorus, observing, reacting, but mostly just quietly watching as the actors in the foreground provide the dialog and action.  It’s an effective way for the audience to stay with the multiple characters even when they are not front and center.  It reminded me of the staging for the Evergreen Players production of The Laramie Project. 

Wendy Moore's set design is simple but functional, dividing the stage into two equal parts with a barrier that suggests the audience is in a court room.  There is room upstage for actors to be seated facing the audience while the action takes place downstage.  

I was a bit baffled the first time an actor got up in the middle of a scene and walked offstage.  Actors moving on and offstage is a necessary part of the blocking and costume changes.  However, it did distract occasionally from the drama playing out before the audience.  I’m not sure whether this was a result of stage directions or the director’s choice, but I would prefer a less distracting way to accomplish the shuffling of actors through the scenes.

Dan Kopper (Dad), Suzanne Wellens (Mom).

Dan Kopper (Dad) plays a devout Christian pastor with a teenage gay son.  One never doubts Kopper; he plays dad with sincerity and conviction.  He struggles with his son’s (Zack Nick) sexuality, even suggesting Christian gay conversion therapy.  Kopper’s dilemma is put into full focus when, in exasperation, he pleads with his son not to “make me choose between my son and my faith.”  There’s not a person in the room who doubts Kopper’s sincerity or anguish.

Zach Nick (Son).

Julie Wolf Butters (Court Reporter) and Tom Auclair (Boyfriend) are heterosexual, unmarried, and unhappy (in the Court Reporter’s view, at least).  Butters brings the marriage equality arguments home to her Boyfriend, who is decidedly hostile to marriage for same sex couples, and for that matter, for himself.  Butters deftly demonstrates the irony that her Boyfriend lacks a passion for marriage, while those who are denied marriage have a burning desire for it.

Meltdown.  Jeff Jesmer (Gary), Missy Moore (Gina).

There's plenty of drama in Unmarried in America, but it is the confrontation between Gina (Missy Moore), and her husband Gary (Jeff Jesmer) that grabs the audience by the lapels and won't let go.  It turns out that Gary is gay, and he confesses as much to his wife Gina.  What follows is the most awkward, the most volatile, and the most revealing moments of the show.  Missy Moore literally looses it when Gary confesses.  The meltdown is difficult to watch; Moore’s heart is broken and she’s furious.  Her colleagues in the Greek chorus, who know what’s coming and have seen it many times, are still reduced to tears as Moore unloads her fury on Gary.

That bears repeating.  Moore makes her colleagues cry.  I haven’t seen the script, but I sincerely doubt that the stage directions call for tears from the chorus.  Those tears are a human and personal reaction to Moore’s powerful performance.  In my experience, it’s extremely rare to see actors moved to tears by a colleague night after night.  Moore can bring them to tears the first time and every time she performs.

Christian Munck (Chet), Jeff Jesmer (Gary).

This is an ensemble piece, and the ensemble is excellent.  Jeff Jesmer is a lovable, huggable Gary, even though he takes the brunt of Moore’s fury.  One can hardly wait for him to emerge on the other side, battered but unbroken.  Kelly Uhlenhopp (Karen) makes a great mother in a 2 mom relationship, and perfectly handles a single guy who chats her up.  Zack Nick (son) is the vulnerable gay teen who struggles both with his sexual identity and his conflicted parents.  Christian Munck (Chet) takes a beating and keeps on ticking.  Suzanna Wellens (Mom) can’t take her concerns to her pastor, and there’s a very good reason for that.  It's an understatement to say that there is no weak spot in this cast.  

Before the show began, I was alert to the possibility that the script may be speaking to the choir about marriage equality, and perhaps doing so by diminishing the opponents.  I was wrong.  I can assure you that it does not pander to the winners in the Proposition 8 trial, and it does not insult the opponents.  They are portrayed exactly as they should be, with dignity, sincerity, and an honest version of the arguments both for and against same sex marriage.  That the opponent's arguments are insufficient is clear, but the characters are portrayed as “characters,” not as caricatures.  Carlson’s script gets a hat tip from me for the respect she shows to both sides.

Unmarried in America has beautiful moments, tender moments, and some moments that are frightening in their portrayal of violence done to a gay character.  There are also moments that reflect the angry cacaphony that has at times dominated the discussion.  

When you get to know the characters in Unmarried in America, it’s very difficult to feel anything but compassion for them.  These are real people, with real problems, and therein lies the power of Unmarried in America.  We see both sides in the marriage equality debate as a individuals we can identify with, individuals with passionate convictions both for and against a major structural change to our society and culture.  Carson gives them all a chance to participate equally in that debate.

It took decades, a long legal battle, and perhaps this compelling play to see what was always right before us.  We are all in this together, no matter who we love.  If that is the only takeaway from Unmarried in America, it will be rightly remembered as an unqualified success.

NOTES:

Although there are adult situations, Unmarried in America is suitable for teenagers.  These are issues that teenagers are aware of, and teens who face hostility from their peers may benefit from seeing Unmarried in America.  

Those adults who are passionately opposed to same sex marriage should understand that the script chronicles the legal process related to Proposition 8, which did not turn out well for their side.  Carlson’s script is fair to both sides, however, and does not mock, insult, or demean those who opposed Proposition 8.  I would encourage opponents of marriage equality to see Unmarried in America.  It has lessons for all of us, even though they may be difficult lessons.

There is ample free street parking parking near the theater on the surrounding streets.  There is also parking in the adjacent lot, but check the posting at the front door for restricted times.

PHOTO CREDITS:  Vintage Theatre Company

TICKETS HERE:  

This show will close on June 21, 2015.

PRE/POST SHOW DINING RECOMMENDATION:

We had an anniversary brunch at the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa.  It’s a classic, and probably the best brunch I’ve ever experienced.  The food, the service, and the ambience are unequaled.  Yes…it’s costly.  Prepare to spend about $54.00 per person; more if you want champagne.  That puts this brunch in the “special occasions only” category, but that’s the target they shoot for.  

Besides the usual brunch fare, you’ll get jumbo shrimp (I know…it’s an oxymoron), an elaborate carving station for carnivores, and a full dessert selection including a chocolate fountain with both white and dark chocolate.  

If you have a special occasion in your future, the Brown Palace is a great choice.  Reservations are highly recommended.  

CREATIVE TEAM:

Artistic Director/Costume Designer:  Craig A. Bond

Production Manager/Producer:  Dan Rib

Director/Set Designer:  Wendy Moore

Technical Director:  Jeff Jesmer

Lighting Designer:  Alexis K. Bond

Sound Designer:  Madison Kuebler

Costume Designer:  Susan Rahmsdorff

Stage Manager:  Jo Gerlick

Publicist:  Gloria Shanstrom

CAST:

Dad:  Dan Kopper

Mom:  Suzanna Wellens

Son:  Zack Nick

Gary:  Jeff Jesmer

Chet:  Christian Munck

Gina:  Missy Moore

Gina (Understudy):  Kelly Dwyer

Karen:  Kelly Uhlenhopp

Boyfriend:  Tom Auclair

Court Reporter:  Julie Wolf Butters

'Night Mother

Playwright: Marsha Norman

Company:  Vintage Theater Company

Venue:  Vintage Theater, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora, CO 80010.



Running Time: 1 hours, 45 minutes (no intermission). 

Date of Performance:  Saturday, May 30, 2015.

There’s absolutely no question about it.  ‘Night Mother is a superb production of a masterpiece of a script, starring two of the best actors you will find anywhere.  The critics are in complete agreement.  See for yourself, here, here, and here.  I’m not competing with these reviewers.  I’m endorsing them.  They are 100% right about ‘Night Mother.  It’s a bona fide hit for Vintage Theatre.

One of the advantages of linking to other reviewers is that I don’t have to worry about spoilers now.  ‘Night Mother is about suicide, and it’s no secret.  The two women in the cast are reduced to just one by the time the curtain comes down.  

Emma Messenger (Thelma).

Emma Messenger (Thelma) and Haley Johnson (Jessie) are magnificent.  There is no dispute from anyone who saw ‘Night Mother.  These two actors are mother and daughter, protagonist and antagonist, with a universality that helps us see ourselves in them.  They have created an absolutely magnetic connection to the audience, sucking us all into their tragedy.  Messenger and Johnson bring the heat and the light to ‘Night Mother, leaving us emotionally and physically drained as we shuffle out of the theater.  You may never see better performances on any stage.

Haley Johnson (Jessie).

Billie McBride’s direction is spot on.  The script is a runaway train, headed for certain disaster.  McBride slows the train down, inserting pauses and turning the inevitable train wreck into a slow motion emotional autopsy of the victims.  Marsha Norman’s Pulitzer Prize winning script is a story telling gem.  McBride tells that story with real conversation between real people.  Her direction gives Norman’s words a natural, painful, and poignant pace that forces the audience to deal with the unimaginable events on the stage. 

“Night Mother” is unforgettable theater.  The Vintage production is required viewing for any and all who value live theater.  Period.  End of story.

That said, though, rather than pile onto what other reviewers have already written about this production these performances, I want to focus on the issues raised by Norman’s script. We tend to think (OK, at least I tend to think) that those who commit suicide have serious emotional and/or mental issues.  Suicide is not rational, so those engaged in it must not be rational.

Norman blows up my preconception.  Jessie is rational.  She is logical.  She is not insane, nor is she coming from a place of emotional rage.  She is tired.  She sees no way to improve her life.  She has an answer for every objection Thelma throws at her.  She will not be dissuaded.  Suicide is the logical solution for Jessie, and her time for action is now.

Thelma:  “If you’ve got the guts to kill yourself, you’ve got the guts to live.”

Jessie:  “I know that. So it's really just a matter of where I'd rather be.”

Sitting in the audience, I found it highly disturbing to hear such a simple, logical, reasonable argument for suicide.  It shatters my preconception that suicide is not rational.  Norman’s script presented me with an alternate universe, one in which the preservation of life is not always the best solution to a problem.

As disorienting as that is, it’s also very instructive for those who are left behind after a suicide.  We often wonder what we could have done, should have done, to help someone who abruptly left us.  Ideally, we would have had the conversation that Norman has given Thelma and Jessie in ‘Night Mother.  We would sit down with our loved one and rationally explain why he or she should choose life rather than death.  In a perfect world, we would be able to dissuade that person.  We would literally save his or her life.  

I doubt that many get the chance to have that discussion.  Those who are on a path to self-destruction are reluctant to share their plan with others.  To the extent that anyone regrets not having done more to intervene, Norman shows us the futility of intervention.  Once a final decision is made, efforts at intervention and prevention are rarely effective.  Norman’s script may give some grieving mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends some relief from their self imposed guilt.  A determined individual can nearly always carry out his or her plan, despite our best efforts.  

Thelma is rocked when she discovers the shocking inevitability of Jessie’s plan, but she knows it's true:

“You’re already gone.”

Nothing she can say or do will change the outcome.

Whether Jessie’s suicide is justified is ultimately her call.  We all have complete control over how we live our lives, and whether we want to live them at all.  Most of us will live full, rich and rewarding lives.  Some of us won’t.  Some of us will make choices that seem irrational, unwise, and even fatal.  Jessie carefully and thoroughly considered all her options, and chose the one she deemed best.  We may disagree with her choice, but for her, at least, it was the only one that solved her problems.

Theater is a very special art form.  We can sit in a room where talented artists entertain us, or, as in ‘Night Mother, teach us about our world and about ourselves.  We can see ourselves in the mirror Marsha Norman has held up to us.  We can see ourselves in the characters Emma Messenger and Haley Johnson so painfully portray a few feet in front of us.  These are living, breathing people in crisis, and we can barely stand to watch what we all know is coming.  We squirm, we wince, and we resist the inevitable.  But we can't stop it.

'Night Mother is a stark, compelling, and sometimes frightening reminder of why we go to the theater.  We come out better for the pain we endured watching a life ending before our eyes.

NOTES:

Discretion is advised for all, but especially for adults whose lives have been touched by suicide.  This show may be a very difficult experience for anyone who has lost someone who could no longer bear the burdens of his or her life.

My best friends, who shall remain nameless, lost their adult daughter a few years ago.  Losing a child is a devastating experience, one I hope I will never have to endure.  If, though, for some reason, that experience is visited upon me, I will benefit greatly from having vicariously known the grief of my friends…and from the the gift that Emma Messenger, Haley Johnson, Billie McBride, and the entire staff at Vintage Theatre gave me on Saturday night.  It's a gift I will carry with me and cherish forever.

Front:  Emma Messenger.  Rear:  Billie McBride (Director), Haley Johnson,  Maegan Burnell (Stage Manager).

There is ample free street parking parking near the theater.  There is also parking in the adjacent lot, but check the posting at the front door for restrictions.

PHOTO CREDITS:  Vintage Theatre Company

TICKETS HERE:  

This show will close on June 14, 2015.

PRE/POST SHOW DINING RECOMMENDATION:

We had an anniversary dinner at The Keg Steakhouse & Bar, 1890 Wynkoop Street, Denver CO, 80202.  It’s about a half hour drive to the theater, but for special occasions, The Keg comes through with flying colors.

Our server, April, was fast, friendly, and efficient.  She knew it was our anniversary, and provided a complementary dessert.  The manager also came to our table, to check on the food and to wish us a happy anniversary.  I had the prime rib, which is their specialty.  It’s only available in medium rare.  EXCELLENT.  

The Keg (the chain is from Vancouver BC) is a little different from other upscale steak houses; it’s not an a la carte restaurant.  You actually get a potato choice with your entree.  It’s fairly expensive, but I guarantee you will love your meal and you will NOT leave hungry.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Artistic Director/Costume Designer:  Craig A. Bond

Production Manager:  Dan Rib

Director:  Billie McBride

Set Designer:  Douglas Clarke

Technical Director:  Jeff Jesmer

Lighting Designer:  Keegan Jenney

Sound Designer:  Dan Rib

Stage Manager:  Maegan Burnell

Publicist:  Gloria Shanstrom

CAST:

Thelma:  Emma Messenger

Jessie:  Haley Johnson

Urinetown the Musical

Book and Lyrics by:  Greg Kotis

Music and Lyrics by:  Mark Hollman

Company:  Equinox Theater Company

Venue:  The BugTheater, 3654 Navajo Street, Denver, CO 80211.

Running Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission). 

Date of Performance:  Friday, May 29, 2015.

I recently returned from a trip to Europe, where I literally ran head on into a couple of “urinetowns.”  Or, as they are more commonly known, London and Paris.  I arrived by train in each capitol city, and stopped by the rest room before leaving the station.  

Much to my surprise, both train stations had only pay toilets.  Thirty pence (about $.45) in London, half a Euro (about $.50) in Paris.  Since I was just arriving, I had no local currency.  None.  Nada.  For those who haven't had this experience, I can only tell you that they will not accept MasterCard or Visa.

Imagine my surprise.

I won’t repeat here the thoughts I was muttering under my breath as I slinked away from the “WC” in these stations.  Pay toilets are rare in the US; apparently we do not believe peeing should be profitable for a third party.  Travelers beware:  our attitude is not universal.  

Which brings us to Urinetown the Musical.  A decades long drought has made water a very rare commodity; private toilets have been replaced by public pay toilets.  It is against the law to avoid the pay toilets by going in the bushes.  Penalties for violations are harsh.  Pay toilets are VERY profitable for the heartless corporation that runs them.

It’s a creepy dystopian set up, but Urinetown the Musical is not a creepy show.  It’s a fun, bouncy, spoof of corporations, capitalism, and social responsibilities.  Best of all, it’s a spoof of Broadway musicals.  Look for a great send up of Les Miserables in the final scene of Act 1.

Equinox Theatre Company never lacks the huevos to take on a huge Broadway musical; they have already staged Debbie Does Dallas the Musical and Women on the Verge this season; Bonnie and Clyde the Musical is up next.  When you’re working on a small stage in an aging theater and with a tight budget, these are risky shows. Equinox takes those risks regularly, and Urinetown the Musical is the reward that both Equinox and audiences get for those risks.  It’s definitely one of the best productions I have seen from Equinox.

Abby McInerney (Little Sally), David Gordon (Officer Lockstock).

Director/Choreographer Colin Roybal has put a huge cast (22 credited in the program) on a small stage.  He keeps the actors moving fluidly on and off the stage; one never gets a sense of too big a crowd for the space.  He sets a measured but quick pace, never letting up on the action.  Roybal’s choreography (done with help from Stephanie Hesse) is splendid; the timing and movements are a joy to watch. Roybal may be the hardest working guy in Denver theater today; besides directing and choreographing, he also designed the set and lights for Urinetown the Musical.  He touches every aspect of this production, and that’s a good thing.  Roybal gets a lion’s share of the credit for making Urinetown the Musical work at every turn and at every level.

Caldwell B. Cladwell (Jim Hitzke) is the greedy corporate heavy.  Hitzke is convincingly

Jim Hitzke (Cladwell), Carolyn Lohr (Hope).

heartless; he plays his role with conviction, making peeing a privilege for those with the dough.  He totally nails his crucial musical scene, delivering Don’t Be the Bunny like a pro.  It’s a superb moment in this production, and Hitzke literally makes it sing.

Kalond Irlanda (Bobby Strong) is a gifted singer/actor/dancer, and he puts all his talents on full display here.  He deftly moves from regular guy to Hope’s (Carolyn Lohr) love interest to revolutionary, leading the masses to arms.  Irlanda starts out as a sweet, innocent character, and ends up the hero who gets the girl.

Carolyn Lohr (Hope).

It is, however, Carolyn Lohr who you will remember when you walk out of the theater.  Lohr plays the aptly named “Hope” with a wink and a smile, overacting appropriately as she glides through life.  Hope is the daughter of the corporate heavy, and the love interest for Bobby Strong.  She’s from the privileged elite, but fits in with the rebels.  Lohr sparkles, emphasizing her lines with flowing gestures, exaggerated expressions, and a killer smile.  She has a marvelous voice, and frankly, is the focus in a large cast every time she takes the stage.  According to the program, her day job is teaching first grade in Denver Public Schools.  I “hope” her students appreciate what a special person she is out of the classroom as well as in it.

The entire cast is talented; I could go on about David Gordon (Officer Lockstock), his cop partner Chris Arneson (Mr. Barrel), Sharhara Ray (Penelope Pennywise), Abby McInerney (Little Sally), Cody Schmitt (Mr. McQueen)  and Devin Bustamante (Senator Fipp).  The orchestra skillfully delivers every note of the score without overpowering the voices. There’s not room in this review for everything that works in Urinetown the Musical.  Suffice it to say that it all works, the cast and orchestra are very talented, and the fun factor is 10 on a scale of 10.


On a personal note, the next trip I make to Europe I will carry change for a Euro.  And for a Pound Sterling.  You never know when you’ll run into a need to pee…and pay. Hey…that might be a great name for a new business concept….”Pay & Pee.”  PnP for short.

NOTES:

Fair warning.  Don’t forget to get a token or two at the box office when you check in.  Tokens are needed to use the restrooms.  You must give the token to the security guard outside the “amenity.”  Welcome to Urinetown.  Don’t worry.  Unlike the cast, you can have as many tokens as you want…or need.

This show is appropriate for teens and up.  However, since the theme is satire, some teens may not get a lot of the references.

There is ample free parking on the surrounding streets and at the nearby lot for Patsy’s Restaurant at 37th & Navajo.

PHOTO CREDITS:  Equinox Theater Company

TICKETS HERE:  

This show will close on June 6, 2015.


PRE/POST SHOW DINING RECOMMENDATION:

We stopped for a Happy Hour at the Yard House, 1555 Court Place, Denver (on the 16th Street Mall).  We got there just before Happy Hour ended (3:00-6:00, Monday-Friday).  Our waiter rushed our order to the bar and kitchen so we could get the discount.  

We split the Ham & Pineapple Pizza ($6.00 during Happy Hour).  It was plenty for both of us.  I had a Kona Longboard Lager ($1.00 off at Happy Hour, Kona Brewing Company).  Yard House boasts the biggest selection anywhere of draft beers.  If you can’t find your favorite here, well, you may have to go to Beijing to get Tsingtao on draft.  It’s cheaper to get a bottle at any decent Chinese restaurant.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director/Choreographer: Colin Roybal

Music Director:  Michelle Fitzgerald

Assistant Director/Sound Designer:  Robert Harbour

Set & Lighting Designer:  Colin Roybal

Stage Manager:  Lauren Meyer

Costume Designer:  Valerye Jeffries

Co-Choreographer:  Stephanie Hesse


CAST:

Bobby Strong:  Kalond Irlanda

Caldwell B. Cladwell:  Jim Hitzke

Hope Cladwell:  Carolyn Lohr

Officer Lockstock:  David Gordon

Penelope Pennywise:  Shahara Ray

Little Sally:  Abby McInerney

Mr Barrel:  Chris Arneson

Hot Blades Harry:  Tim Luoma

Josephine Strong:  Amy Stuemky

Mr. McQueen:  Cody Schmitt

Little Becky Two Shoes:  Kerri Emswiller

Soupy Sue/Ensemble:  Nicole Seefried

Tiny Tom/Ensemble:  Brad Wagner

Senator Fipp:  Devin Bustamante

Billy/Ensemble:  Jesse Caruth

Old Man Strong:  Eddie Schumacher

Ensemble:  Stephanie Hesse, Nicole Srott, Coleen Herskovits, Hannah Schell, Cameron Leonard, Greg Farinelli


ORCHESTRA:

Keyboards/Conductor:  Michelle Fitzgerald

Drums:  Brian Jaffe

Bass:  Erik Sabbeth

Reeds:  Mark Jennings

Trombone:  Gary Hand

Guys and Dolls

This review is posted at the Colorado Springs Independent website.

Veronica's Room

Playwright: Ira Levin

Company:  Funky Little Theater Company

Venue:  The Funky Little Theater, 2109 Templeton Gap Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80907.



Running Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes (includes 15 minute intermission). 

Date of Performance:  Thursday, April 30, 2015. (Opening night).

Playwright and novelist Ira Levin has some pretty impressive credentials.  His fiction works include Rosemary’s Baby, The Stepford Wives, and The Boys from Brazil.  In addition to Veronica’s Room, his plays include No Time for Sergeants (adapted from the novel by Mac Hyman) and Deathtrap.  Levin knew a lot about storytelling; Rosemary’s Baby, made into a film in 1968, is still a classic of the horror genre.

Veronica’s Room has some similarities to Rosemary’s Baby; it keeps audiences on the edges of their seats as the creepy characters unveil a truly bizarre story.  In other words, it’s a great script for a company like Funky Little Theater.  All the action occurs, of course, in Veronica’s room, which helps on a small stage.  The intimacy of the Funky space brings the audience right into Veronica’s room, which Funky has carefully created in full detail.  The room is pink, for a girl.  It has a large stuffed animal on the bed.  Veronica’s pins are in the dresser.  Her clothes are in the closet.  Her jigsaw puzzle is on the table.  Everything is preserved just as it was when Veronica died.

As the play opens, a young man (Chris Medina) and a girl (Martha Lamb) are standing in Veronica’s room, as a Woman (Barbara Summerville) and a Man (Steve Wallace) explain to them that Sissy (offstage) is dying but would love to meet the girl.  She (The Girl, Susan) bears a striking resemblance to Veronica.  Sissy would love to meet Susan/Veronica before she dies.  From that setup, Veronica’s Room descends into some twists, turns, and surprises that make for an entertaining evening of theater.

Martha Lamb puts in a credible performance as Susan/Girl, mixing some youthful naïveté in the first act with outright horror in the second act. The structure of the play requires that someone in the cast is not who he or she seems to be. The key to Lamb’s role is that, in the second act, she must convince us that she could be the one who is not who she claims to be.  Lamb did exactly that.  

Chris Medina (Young Man) plays two roles here.  In the first act, he is Larry, Susan’s date.  In the second act, he is Veronica’s treating physician, Dr. Simpson.  The difference between the two characters is striking; Medina plays them as polar opposites.  Larry is shy, aloof, and soft spoken.  Dr. Simpson is cool, confident, and professional when he’s not an accessory to a crime.  Medina nails both parts, but seems especially comfortable in the role of doctor and caretaker.

Barbara Summerville (Woman) also has two roles.  Her first act role is done in a marvelous Irish brogue.  She’s charming as the older lady luring Susan into a trap.  In the second act, she is decidedly more hostile, in fact, she is downright scary.  Summerville has both roles mastered, but she absolutely shines as the evil, demented woman in the second act.

Steve Wallace (Man) also does the first act in an Irish brogue, and he’s a charming fatherly gentleman until the second act.  His second act character is less evil than the Woman, but he’s still a scary guy.  Wallace is most effective when he pleads with the Woman to end their crime spree; he is a culpable voice of reason.  He makes a sincere effort to change things, but Wallace conveys with his body language that he knows nothing is going to change.

Director Felicia Spirio makes the most of her resources here, guiding the cast through the multiple personalities and plot twists that make Veronica’s Room a challenging script.  Spirio’s touch is delicate but disturbing as The Girl/Susan realizes the how much danger she faces.  

I saw Veronica’s Room on opening night.  The dialog early in the first act was somewhat stilted at points, but by 10 minutes into the show, the actors seemed comfortable with the live audience.  In what seems an unfortunate oversight, the program does not credit the set designer.  That’s a shame; it was functional, detailed, and quite well done.  Ironically, the title of the play itself would suggest that the set design is of considerable importance.  Someone should get the credit.  (UPDATE:  The Director's Notes in the program credit Chris Medina for the set design.)

Veronica’s Room is an entertaining but disturbing script.  Funky Little Theater’s production is  spot on and well worth the price of admission.  If you’re a fan of intriguing story telling with plot twists and surprises, get a ticket to Veronica’s Room.  You’ll be glad you did; live theater done well in a small space like The Funky Little Theater is a very special experience.  

NOTES:

This show, in my view is appropriate for ages 12 and up.  Discretion is advised, however, as there is some violence that may disturb young children.

There is ample free parking in the strip mall parking lot at the theater and on the surrounding streets. 

PHOTO CREDITS:  Funky Little Theater Company

TICKETS HERE:  

This show will close on May 16, 2015.

PRE/POST SHOW DINING RECOMMENDATION:

The University Village Shopping Center is about a 10 minute drive to or from the theater and offers a variety of restaurant choices.  We were pressed for time, so we chose Tokyo Joe’s for quick service and healthy food.  If we had more time, however, we might have tried the new Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop.  Maybe next time…

CREATIVE TEAM:

Director:  Felicia Spirio

Lighting Designer:  Jeremiah Miller

Sound Designer:  Carrie Chesney

Stage Manager:  Carrie Chesney

CAST:

Girl:  Martha Lamb

Girl (Alternate):  Amy Rowles

Young Man:  Chris Medina

Woman:  Barbara Summerville

Man:  Steve Wallace