by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
Players by the Sea opened a two-weekend run of six of Christopher Durang’s short plays in their Studio Theatre (blackbox). Seeing these sketches by one of today’s funniest playwrights is like riding a merry-go-round; it is a lot of fun even if you never really go anywhere.
Jacksonville University theatre graduate Carl Baum is making his directorial debut, having selected not only the six works to be performed, but selecting the excellent cast and crew as well. I applaud Baum’s dedication to this project, since after committing to do this, he and his actress wife Ashley, moved to Tallahassee. Now you have to admit that is one heck of a drive to come to rehearsals!
I was fortunate to see Carl in a number of memorable performances, not only on the JU stage but also at the Alhambra, Theatre Jacksonville and Players By the Sea. I predict a bright future as a director as well after seeing this very interesting evening of theater.
Before you make plans to attend one of the final two performances on March 16 and 17 at 8:00 PM, you should be aware Durang’s wacky look at the foibles of human beings comes very much from an absurdist view point, with gender bending, role reversals, dysfunctional families, accompanied often by spicy and dicey language. It may not be for everyone, but the large, very diverse audience loved it on opening night.
The opening selection “Mrs. Sorken” featured the award-winning actress Holly Gutshall, as she explores her unique views on the meaning of life and the theatre.
This was followed by the hilarious “For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls”, a parody of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. In Durang’s creation, the mother Amanda (Maya Adkins) has a son Lawrence (David Paul), who is home bound due to shyness and his various imagined illnesses. He prefers to play with is collection of glass cocktail stirrers, which all have cute names. Tom (Andrew Carey), his brother, works in a warehouse and likes to go to the movies and pickup and bring home sailors.
Ginny (Lisa Wilford) is Tom’s co-worker in the warehouse and he brings her home as a “female caller” to meet Lawrence. Ginny is hearing impaired, butch, and bombastic are wonderful attributes for a potential girlfriend for Lawrence. This selection was the funniest of the six and seemed to be an audience favorite.
The other skits or playets included “Business Lunch at the Russian Tea Room,” ”Woman Stand-Up”, “The Actor’s Nightmare” and “The Hardy Boys and the Mystery of Where Babies Come From.” The latter was my personal favorite of all six, probably because, besides having four actors previously mentioned, it had one of my all time favorite local actors, Redgie Gutshall, as Mr. Hardy. Gutshall has the funniest line of the entire evening, as he looks at his two naïve and inept sons, Joe and Frank, and says, “ I’ve got to have my sperm checked.” His wife, Holly, is Nurse Ratched and is an oversexed female, who looks like a Jaguar linebacker.
Maya Adkins may be one of the most underrated actresses in this city. She has a most impressive resume as a singer (Seussical and Red, Hot and Cole), and an actress, especially doing wonderful and different things in the world of humor.
David Paul is a much in demand actor who came here from New York just a couple years ago, and like Ms Adkins, can do it all, sing, dance and on-stage comedy. David is the lead in “The Actor’s Nightmare” which is one of the juiciest roles in theatre and he makes the most of it.
Welcome Andrew Cady to the Jacksonville Theatre scene, having moved here from South Florida. He is a good-looking guy and certainly knows his way around a stage. You will see much more of him in the future.
I remember Lisa Wilford as Mary Sunshine in Little Mary Sunshine at ABET some years ago. She left town to get a degree in theatre at UCF in Orlando, but is back in town with a husband (Justin) and a dog (Maggie). She displayed great versatility in all her roles in this Durang buffet. Welcome back Lisa.
Chris Farrell is the stage manager, but next weekend he will be doing the roles David Paul performed. Mr. Paul will be sailing the ocean blue in a surprise family reunion cruise.
Anne Roberts created this very minimalist set that works very effectively. Technical director Ryan Maloney enhances the production with interesting lighting and sound effects.
The cast and director put their creative heads together to come up with excellent costumes that really put this show over the top. It’s a great show that is great fun!
Oh, it is so much fun to be wicked and wacky now and then, and how better to do this than watching An Evening of Christopher Durang at Players by the Sea, 106 Sixth Street North in Jacksonville Beach. Call 249-0289 details.
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