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Published Saturday
June 13, 2003
Review:
'Dance Lesson' full of fine acting
BY JIM DELMONT
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
One of the remarkable
aspects of the local theater scene is the vitality and quality to
be found at the smaller theaters. A case in point is "The Dance
Lesson," which opened the SNAPfest this week at the SNAP/Shelterbelt
Theatre.
"The Dance
Lesson," which deals with repercussions from a lone sexual
indiscretion, a tryst between two men, is solidly directed by Daena
Schweiger, with lead performances from Jerry Evert and Diane Watson
that are as good as any to be found anywhere this theatrical season.
Evert's evocation
of a dignified small-town lawyer, a devoted family man struggling
with his own sexual ambiguity, is a multilayered performance of
exceptional authenticity and subtlety. Watson's distraught wifefigure
is utterly convincing and deeply moving. Their fine performances
make every word of dialogue ring true in David Wiltse's fine play.
Wiltse, a Falls
City, Neb., native, is a much honored playwright, screenwriter and
novelist. Now living in Connecticut, he has set several of his works
in fictional versions of Falls City (here called Cascade, Neb.).
"A Dance
Lesson" is reminiscent not only of a small town, but of an
earlier age never exactly defined, perhaps the '50s or early '60s,
when gay men were more likely to be closeted and when gay-bashing
was all but encouraged by general societal attitudes.
The small-town
ambiance and long-ago mood offer considerable nostalgia, a sweet-sad
air reflected in the after-the-fact narration of the story by the
lawyer's grown son, Jay (Thomas Lowe, another impressive talent
in the cast).
Lowe's grown-up
Jay has the virtues of tolerance and wisdom, in contrast to the
intolerant, angry and disturbed younger Jay, a high school student
whose explosive behavior rips the family apart. As the younger Jay,
Cody Chance Enicke does a good job of conveying not only the character
but also the attitudes and prejudices of that day.
As Jay's high
school chum, Mike McCormack hits just the right notes as a working-class
kid with a sense of humor.
But the burden
of making the show work falls mostly on Evert and Watson, and they
never falter.
Add J. Todd
Reagan as a mysterious neighbor who acts as a catalyst to create
new dynamics in relationships, and you have a fine ensemble effort
that makes this well-crafted little play effective and moving.
It's a gem -
in no small part due to Schweiger's fine handling of her cast. Not
without humor, "A Dance Lesson" offers some serious and
disturbing lessons about life, family and love.
Published Saturday
June 21, 2003
Review:
Moms' chemistry elevates 'Matinee Ladies'
BY BOB FISCHBACH
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
A 25-year journey through gay liberation is seen largely through
the eyes of a trio of mothers in Kevin Brofsky's "The Matinee
Ladies."
And although
these are Jewish mothers from New York City's Jersey suburbs, those
who attend SNAPfest in Omaha will not find the story line too ethnic
to miss universal themes.
It helps that
the women who play the moms are consummate character actresses.
Like many mothers,
Deborah (Liz Heim), Isa (Mary Kelly) and Betty (Barb Ross) kvetch
over their adult children's choices, but the love for their offspring
forces them to grow - sometimes through pain - in the face of changes
they are powerless to control.
The play opens
as a restaurant opens. Betty's son, Nathan (Mark Wegener), and a
partner, Chris (Jim Palmer), debut their Greenwich Village cafe
on the day the 1969 Stonewall riots are due to break out.
The three moms
celebrate the restaurant opening with lunch and a Broadway matinee.
Theater and the 11th Street Cafe soon become a ritual. Scenes set
in 1969, 1977, 1982 and 1994 are preceded by slide and sound montages
that effectively recall the times.
In each scene
we see aspects of Nathan's life unknown to his mother -his denial
of the torch Chris carries for him, his own crush on a competing
cafe owner (Aaron Pattno), and how Chris deals with that.
Then the ladies
pop in and deal with their own denial, dumping out their emotions
as if cleaning their purses.
It's achingly
funny at times, and just plain aching at others.
Though all in
the cast are good - especially the mothers - Mary Kelly stands out
in the most flamboyant role, effusing Isa with a winning personality
through force of will.
Palmer succeeds
in taking the opposite approach, giving the long-suffering Chris
a quiet dignity and intelligence that draw the audience in.
Eduardo Millan
is effective in dual roles, as a Cuban added to the restaurant staff
and a cafe patron.
Brofsky, who
will be here next weekend for post-performance chats, has a nice
feel for dialogue. His play structure reminds one of the two-character
"Same Time Next Year," an affair played out over years
of change. But the chemistry of the mothers, palpable among Heim,
Kelly and Ross, elevates this show.
Pacing was uneven
at a Wednesday preview, but director Todd Brooks and cast no doubt
will adjust to audience reaction.
The show runs
a shade over two hours with intermission.
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