Dec./Jan/ Reviews

December/January Reviews

Mae West's "Sex" Revived at the Aurora

If Mae West was arrested in 1929 for her so-called infamous play Sex,
performed at Daly's 63rd St. Theatre in New York city for almost a
whole year, this would never occur today, especially at the Aurora
where the revival of her play appears to be done in a mild manner and
with good taste in both content and staging. The play revolves around
Margy Lamont's attempt to to free herself from her pimp and begin life
anew with a man who loves and respects her. She will have to decide
between a sea captain and a high society millionaire whose family could
reject her because of her past.
Delia Mc Dougell's interpretation of the outspoken heroine is thus far
from getting her arrested for corrupting youth's morals and being
thrown into a paddy wagon with the rest of her cast to spend 10 days in
jail. The Aurora production, directed by artistic director Tom Ross,
does not emphasize sex any more than it does the tantalizing early
twenties songs and dances. Rather it demonstrates the open and innocent
attitude toward sex of the period along with a blasé Mae West's ironic
allusions of how males mistreat females.

Despite the fact that she does not have the physical appearance of Mae
West as a tall female wearing high heels and with curves, Delia
MacDougall in the role of the sexy idol does a fine job utilizing her
own physical attributes to evoke memories of what Mae West was all
about in the sensual domain. The remainder of the cast is up to the
challenge of presenting the ambience of the era when sex was just
beginning to find its liberation from being a guarded subject. An
outstanding interpretation is offered by Maureen McVerry as the high
society lady who regrets her involvement with Margy Lamont's lover
Rocky (Magy Lamont's pimp) dynamically played by Danny Wolohan.
Billy Philadelphia takes first prize as pianist and for his musical
arrangements and his dramatic interpretation of songs of the period
along with his three new songs that so well evoke Mae West in her time.
All the elements that integrate acting, movement, song and dance in a
well coordinated ensemble honoring the Mae West legend in a lively and
enticing manner may be found in this production.
Sex runs until Dec. 9. For info. call 510-843-4822 or click on
auroratheatre.org.

Fringe Festival's 20th Anniversary for Bay Area Writers and Actors.
Call for New Plays for Spring 08

As the Fall 2007 20th Annniversary Fringe Festival comes to an end, the
Spring Fringe 08 is open to submissions of original short plays. For
information call (415) 673-3131.
In Program One of the Fall Fringe Festival, among the 6 new short plays
and solos my particular favorite was Switching Teams written by Anthony
Martinez and directed by Cindy Brillhart-True. In this comedy of
errors, Ted (played by Ken Bacon) jeopardizes his friendship with Mike
(played by Anthony Martinez) by switching to a rival team.
22 Minutes Remaining, a propaganda play concerning the Israel and
Palestinian conflict, scored high on my list. Junelle Barrett Porter
gave the best performance of the evening as Myriam, a Lebanese woman
caught in the discord. Steve North, a whole show by himself in This
Life, deserved my vote as best actor and director. It takes a lot of
courage to put your life on the stage. Bravo Steve!
In Murder on the Mind, my 4th choice, Sallie Romer and Susan Tuttle
gave outstanding performances as two women having affairs with each
others husbands. This dark comedy written and directed by Samantha
Skinner employed the device of letting the audience know what the
characters were thinking in contrast to what they say to each other.
Fiasco, a farce, written and directed by Linda Ayres-Frederick and
Blind Loyalty, a terrorist twist by Clayton Schuster directed by Steve
North, filled out the bill. Many thanks to Dr. Annette Lust and Linda
Vito, Artistic and Assistant Artistic Directors, for their hard work
and supportive efforts to encourage Bay Area playwrights, actors and
directors to present their works to the Fringe of Marin. Flora Lynn
Isaacson

The second program of new works, featured Joanne Green's Starting to
Show, directed by Linda Lowry, a cute, witty modern take on pregnancy
and motherhood. A couple of very pregnant women (a huffing, puffing
Joanne Green as Kay and a just 'starting to show' Sallie Romer as
Lorraine) sit in their doctor's waiting room, and a tall, willowy,
woman, Celia (Jennifer Chambers), arrives with a baby (unseen) strapped
to her chest in a cloth carrier. They discuss their current situation
in clever, sharp and funny dialogue overriding their deeper concerns.
Fly Me to the Moon, written by Lisa Juris, featured Kathleen Freitag
as long-suffering wife Shar and Erica Badgeley as the daughter, Alison,
of easily conned inventor Ken (Mike Morrow). He's invested in a set of
rocket blueprints and intends to build it, fly to the moon and mine
gold. He owes money to sleazy Johnny (Craig Logan), who comes to
believe in Ken, while his family disintegrates before his deluded eyes.
A Very Private Party concerns Becca (Sally Devoto) and Katherine (a
strong Heather Shepardson) who get together to have a few drinks and
talk. A conflict arises when one wants to go out to a club and the
other wants to stay home. Secrets are revealed. This play was written
by Debra Turner and directed by Linda Vito.
Ulysses is based on what inspired James Joyce to write his most famous
book. Written by Paige Lehmann and directed by Steve Galiani, it opens
with a clever prologue where a student (Mark DeVoto) reads a paragraph
from "Ulysses" and asks the audience that question. Through Joyce's
(played by Mike Morrow) wife, Nora (Molly McCarthy) and daugther Lucia
(Erica Badgeley), during his self-imposed exile to Italy, we find out.
The actors nailed the Irish accents and Flora Lynn Isaacson as Joyce's
lugubrious maid, had a perfect Italian flair, when she wasn't crying
into a towel.

Program Two closed with Annette Lust's Vinaigrette, directed by
award-winning Sasha Litovchenko. Actors Mike Morrow, Clara Lamers,
Sallie Romer, Charles Grant, Erica Badgeley and Mark Devoto played
condiments that make up a vinaigrette sauce: Garlic, Mustard, Olive
oil, Vinegar, Salt and Pepper, respectively, imparting their essences
through dialogue and action, including a dance! The motif was spare,
done in black, white, and gray, with colorful wigs to denote the
condiment. The theme was overcoming differenecs and difficulties
through acceptance, compassion, and understanding, instead of
denigration, disrespect, and violence. A perfect ending to a wonderful
program.
Gaetana Caldwell Smith

Masquers Ends 2007 Season on a High Note

Little Mary Sunshine with book, music and lyrics by Rick
Besoyan, gives a loving
send-up of operettas by Sigmund Romberg, Rudolf Friml,
Victor and Franz Lehar,
which turns back the clock to a world of beautiful
heroines and dastardly villains,
shining heroes and last-minute rescues. For example,
the young gentleman
in the cast belongs to the United States Rangers,
reminiscent of the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police in Rose Marie.
According to Director Robert Love, at one time, Little
Mary Sunshine was
the main stay of community theatres around the country
for its great tunes, and
very funny plot, all performed very earnestly.
Little Mary Sunshine features a cast of 16 actors with
outstanding
performances by Coley Grundman as Corporal Billy Jester,
and Ann
Homrighausen as Mme. Ernestine Bon Liebedich, D.C.
Scarpelli in dual roles
of Chief Brown Bear and his son, Yellow Feather,
Michelle Pond as Nancy
Twinkle, John Hull as General Oscar Fairfax, Tom
Accettola as Captain Jim
Warrington, and Sue Claire Jones as Little Mary Sunshine.
The artistic scene design of the Rocky Mountains by John
Hull was beautifully
lit by Renee Echavez. Jo Lusk deserves much credit for
her fabulous
costumes. The show will run all through December 15 with
Friday and
Saturday evening shows at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at
2:30 p.m.
Masquers Playhouse is located at 105 Park Place in Point
Richmond. All
tickets are $18. For information or reservations, call
The Masquers at 510-
232-4031 or check out their website, www.masquers.org.

Flora Lynn Isaacson

BoxCar Theatre Launches Staged Readings

In their reading series of new plays, Boxcar will showcase
the work of five
innovative writers in six staged readings. The three plays
showcased on Nov 14
had a similar theme-parental control. The first play by local
playwright, Steve Koppman,
Hard Place, was presented in a restaurant where a student
returns home only to chafe
under his family's code of silence. Particularly impressive
was the performance of
Suzan Kendall as the mother. In Steve Koppman's second play,
Homage to Catatonia,
Suzan Kendall returns as the mother with another versatile
performance. In a futuristic
digital world, a young man questions progress against the
simplicity of the past.
James Wurzbach and Will Austin played the father and son in
both plays.

Similar themes of anti-progress are revealed in French
absurdist Louis Calaforte's
play, The Funnel. Translated by Melinda Mullins, a neglectful
father and mother take a
year sabbatical to raise their baby--a full grown 17 year old
boy who cannot speak or walk.
Peter Matthews stole the show as Bambi, the baby. He was
ably supported by Nick
Olivero and Julia Mitchell as his parents.
The purpose of this play reading series is to give new
playwrights a venue for learning more
about their pieces and working toward streamlining and
focusing their final product.
Flora Lynn Isaacson for Annette Lust

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