FRINGE OF MARIN FALL 2010
The Fall Fringe of Marin finally got off to a successful run after a rocky start which included losing a play and actors dropping out.
True to its mission, the 26th Season of the Fringe presented two entertaining programs of short plays and monologues over three weekends. The final performances are the weekend of December 3rd through the 5th (details below.)
Program One begins with “Emily and Walt” a “dramedy” written by Carol Hochberg. Linda Ayers-Frederick directed this hypothetical meeting between 19th century poets - -the reclusive, prolific Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman. Heidi Wolff does a wonderful job of portraying Dickinson as put-off yet inexplicably intrigued by her genteel visitor, Whitman, whose reputation as an “earthy, sensual” poet preceded him. Long-haired Raul R. Rubio, wearing a flat brim straw and a loose white cotton shirt, plays Whitman as a well-mannered courtier with subtle sexual innuendo guised as a lover of all things natural, especially Man, with equal measure. Miriam Chase plays Lavina Dickinson (Vinny), Emily’s sister, who doesn’t hide her infatuation with Whitman.
A cleverly constructed comedy “What Do We Do With The Coffin?” written and directed by Carol Sheldon is a sequel to a previous Fringe play “Don’t Just Lie There” of a few seasons back. The sequel tells the madcap story of the actors' problems they faced trying to return a coffin they had borrowed as a prop for the earlier play, once its run had ended. It stars Carol Eggers as the matriarchal Suzanne, Crystal Nezgoda as the young Brianna, Stuart Chappell as a patriarchal Mike; Roger Marquis plays Devon as a flaming queen, in brightly colored clothes, who tries to hit on Detective Schtenk ( David Klein, using an East Coast accent). Finding that the mortuary had gone under so they cannot return the coffin, they wrangle and argue about what to do with it. “We can’t burn it in the yard, this is Marin! There are laws against it.” Schtenk attempts to arrest them when a nosy neighbor calls the police when they try to bury the coffin.
“Scramble Time” is fun. It was written by Shirley King and directed by Robin Schild. The play concerns Kelly, a ditzy flight attendant acted by pretty, vivacious Gigi Benson who gives the character a certain amount of believability until it’s clear she’s mistaken a parking garage for the passenger section of an airplane. Harried business man, Jason (Monty Paulson, who looks as though he stepped from the cast of the popular Cable series “Mad Men”) runs around the stage, searching for his car while she insists he return to his seat. He tries to set her straight. Crystal Nezgoda appears as Gracie. Director Schild made good use of the audience and the center aisle to further the action.
The surprise of the evening is the magician! Michael Belitsos's in a solo performance “A Magical Trio: Movies of My Mind.” He smoothly ties his truly awesome slight of hand to three anecdotes and dreams that he saw as movies, as a child. His tricks involve a play on “Paradise”; a red silk handkerchief and an egg; a martini and a newspaper. I was sitting directly in front of Mr. Belitsos and could not tell how he pulled these off. Especially when he peeled a red hole from a hollow egg.
“Healing Court” written by Micheline Birger and directed by Suzanne Birrell is a surreal, fast-paced comedy having to do with a counselor, Judge Guru (Tyler Hewitt) advising a young, alcoholic, stressed out, business-woman, Mr(s) Whiner, played by the versatile Crystal Nezgoda.. Birrel’s excellent direction makes it clear that Mr(s) Whiner had experienced an alternative reality.
Program One ends with “The Story of Oh (Revised and Abridged)” a comedy written and directed by Jim Colgan. A warning appears in the Program Notes about the play’s strong sexual content and that it is not intended for children. (In a pre-curtain speech, Artistic Director Annette Lust advises parents who have brought their children to please leave after “Healing Court”.) Four actors are involved in this romp: Ofelia (Racheal Denny); Jerry (Simon Patten); Nan (Rana Kangas-Kent); and Wade (C. Conrad Cady), the only dialogue among them is the word “Oh,” said in every inflection possible. They chase each other across the stage, disappear behind the curtains and, we assume by the inflections of “Oh,” get it on (thankfully, out of sight). Nan, in a mini-dress and lots of cleavage, holds a sex toy at one point, eliciting admiring “Ohs” from her partners. A stereotypical Lothario, Jerry (Simon Patten), enters wearing a Japanese print kimono; the pipe in his mouth signals his states of arousal; Wade is a geek in a baseball cap and round glasses. Once caught up in the activities, he is overwhelmed; and then there’s Ofelia, the cliché young sexpot. Three-quarters of the way through the play, she streaks semi-nude across the stage, while exhaling breathy “Ohhhhs.” It was all lots of fun, eliciting guffaws and titters (excuse me) from the audience.
Program Two begins with “Francis and Sophy: A Victorian Romance,” written and directed by first-time playwright, David Hirzel with assistance by veteran actress and director, Flora Lynn Isaacson. Hirzel's play is based on the historical fact of Captain Francis Crozier’s polar expedition to The Northwest Passage. Crozier is played by Fringe stalwart, Byron Lambie (who had trouble with his lines that night I was there. Hopefully this is resolved for the remaining shows) and newcomer to the stage, Alexa Chipman, who is Sophy Cracroft. Francis and Sophy had become engaged before his voyage. Francis sits at a writing desk in his cabin, reading aloud as he writes in his Captain’s log. The actors’ dialogue is based on two letters she had written Francis that he wasn’t to open until Christmas his first year out and then again on his second. Francis reads them aloud with rather stilted responses by Sophy in the proper Victorian manner of a refined young lady, which unfortunately almost stops the play. Sophy first appears behind a curtain, then onstage in a beautiful, authentic-looking, Victorian dress of Alexa’s own creation. (Their romance ended tragically when Crozier's ship became ice-bound in the Northwest Passage. Sophy never married and died a spinster.)
Mr. Hirzel’s play was followed by a monologue, “A Writer’s Dilemma,” written and performed by Judy Baldassari and directed by Suresa Dundes. It is what its title says. The Player, Judy Baldassari, is a writer like all writers facing the problem of finding time to write, but when one does, one decides to go shopping or vacuum instead, then feels guilty. Baldassari is an engaging actress. She has written and acted in the Senior Program at College of Marin. Still, I felt the piece lacked energy and I found the performance static.
Energy came with veteran Fringe monologist, Steve North, in his own “Line Load.” North delighted us with an autobiographical piece dealing with his stint as a teacher who is spurred on by his students to audition for the role of Lear in Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” North was a young man at the time with some acting creds. He lands the part, to his astonishment, and begins to memorize his lines, all 700 something of them. He is daunted by the enormity of the task, feeling he cannot carry it out. He hears a student’s voice egging him on: “You can do this!” When the director threatens to sue him for hundreds of thousands of dollars, North contemplates suicide. He ends his monologue standing on a chair, looking out over the dawn sunlight on the bay, listening to the seagulls. North is expert at using movement to act out psychological, emotional, and artistic dilemmas and is comfortable taking up space on stage. He describes people and places that put you there with him; you see them. The piece is suspenseful, poignant, yet laugh-out-loud funny.
The energy generated by North’s piece was sustained by “Lights, Camera, Love,” a comedy written and directed by George Dykstra. Actor #1 (Harold Delinsky) and Actor #3 (Obreanna McReynolds) play characters in search of a mate. They make a professional video touting themselves for a matchmaking website. In turn, they sit facing a video camera (set in the center aisle), behind which stands the videographer, known as Actor #2 (Ross Turner, who bears a striking resemblance to the late Jaques Cousteau). Actor #1 first plays a rakish, gods-gift-to-women character as he seduces the camera and hopefully a mate. Later he plays a yokel, an ex-boyfriend railing into the camera at his Ex. Delinsky is quite effective in delineating these two characters, making it hard to believe this doofus is also the rakish cad. Actor #3's (Obreanna) first character is a buttoned down business type in a pants suit (“Long walks on the beach . . .”) then she's a hippie with a bandanna around her head, talking about turning on, etc. Turns out, she’s rather square. Because of her distinctive beauty, it was difficult to carry off being two different characters. Actor # 2 has the thankless role of the videographer who gives his clients brief directions on how to act in front of the camera. We can't see him from the side; those in the rear get the back of his head.
“With Held” is a biographical monologue of chronological anecdotes performed by Jeremy Julian Greco based on his friend John Held's despicable Don Juan-ish love life. At times it is hard to separate the actor from his subject. This monologue comes off as static as well. Should he go on performing this piece, he needs to recruit a good director to bring this difficult and off-putting - - to some - - material forward and make it more accessible.
Self-proclaimed “novice playwright” Harry Diavatis wrote “A Thief With Principle” which he also directed. It is one of the better plays of both programs. The premise is based on those who gained or lost from the current mortgage/foreclosure crises. The characters are The Thief, played by an excellent, subtle Nathan Day, and The Man, Harry Diavatis, himself. The Man is a wealthy mortgage broker who lives in an upscale community and drives a high-end car. The Thief is an honest fellow whom the hospitible The Man invites into his home after The Thief knocks on the door expecting a reward for confessing to an attempted crime. As they talk, The Thief discovers what The Man is all about and realizes that he, The Thief, is the better man. Later, after The Thief leaves, The Man finds out his worth when he calls the police to report a break in. The acting flows naturally, the timing is perfect, and both actors appear comfortable in their roles, validating their solid theatre chops.
The Fall Fringe of Marin continues next weekend: Program Two, Friday, December 3rd at 7:30 PM, Program One, Saturday, December 4th @ 7:30 PM, and Program Two, Sunday, December 5th @ 2PM. Call 415-673-3131 for reservations and more information or visit www.fringeofmarin for directions.