In Just Colder, by Seth DeCroce (directed by Robert Kotecki), Tim, a little-theatre producer (Joel Garland), returns to his loft to find his dead significant other (Tiffany O'Hara) waiting for him. After he gets over his shock, they snuggle up for the night, apparently ready to work out the problems in their relationship that made her leave him on a fatal car trip.
The story was not told or played for irony. It consisted mostly of a long argument between the couple, in which she advocated settling in back home with him and he fought a losing struggle with his scruples at necrophilia. An additional strain to the suspension of disbelief was Ms. O'Hara's "death makeup," dirty smears that seemed underdone for someone burned beyond recognition. Perhaps, like the Elephant Man, she would have been better off in regular makeup.
A further strain was the character of The Stranger (Victoria Perry), who started the play in dialog with the dead Mary, and who may have been some sort of angel (in a red dress). She returned at the end, heading toward the conjugal bed.
This and the next play suffered from too few lights spread over a cavernous space, so that scenes were sometimes lit by one or fewer instruments.
Writing: 0
Directing: 1
Acting: 1
Set: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 0
If This Is a Dream, by Francine Witte, deals with a topic that was old when Calderon wrote Life Is a Dream. Dan, a lawyer (Skip Murphy), waking up to the first day of his 40th year, finds his dream woman, Celina (Lara Slife), in bed. He can see her; later, his partner (Scott Glasscock) and his son (Tyrone Alindoto) can also see her, but his wife, Kate (Stephanie Roy) and daughter, Jen (Theresa Pletchon) can't (Celina isn't their dream girl). Eventually Celina convinces Dan to go save the rainforest with her at his side. This play was further marred by a "weird" ending, with Dan in bed with wife and mistress, leaving up for grabs what it was really about.
Again, most of the play consisted of one-sided argument, in which Celina tried to drag Dan away from his family and he made weaker and weaker excuses (alternating with defensive eruptions), while his wife asked plaintively what was going on. The acting was several notches more convincing than the script; Mr. Alindoto and Ms. Pletchon were especially convincing as the kids, and Christina Christman did a convincing turn as the company bimbo. (Director Van Kirk Fisher moved the cast around with fluid professionalism.)
Writing: 0
Directing: 1
Acting: 1
Set: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1
Break, by Marni Ayers (directed by Heidi Shurak), is about two sisters, Judy and Kira (Liz Sullivan and Barbara Hentschel). Kira has dumped her husband, because he beat her and she fell for another woman. Judy, a real hellion in her teenage years, has gotten religion in a large hypocritical dose and is only too glad to be living (very well) in a mostly white neighborhood. Kira wants Judy to take Kira's two boys for a while, since her ex is threatening her and she is finding it hard to get by waitressing.
Of the three plays, this is the only one about anything of substance. There is a real struggle for communication between the two women, which finally leads to an uneasy but hopeful gesture toward reconciliation. Ms. Hentschel was especially convincing as Kira; Ms. Sullivan, while amusing in her ditsy gentility, overdid things a tad.
A simple set comprising patio furniture positioned far downstage, including a trellis with brightly colored flowers, meant that the actors could suck up the rays of available stage light and gave the action even more immediacy.
Writing: 2
Directing: 1
Acting: 1
Set: 1
Costumes: 1
Lighting/Sound: 1
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Copyright 1999 John Chatterton