Talley's Folly: Steeped with subtext

by Jenni Morin

On the surface, Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly, now showing at The Sheldon Vexler Theatre through March 1, is a romantic comedy of two unlikely lovers. However, digging deeper into the play's setting in 1944 nearly one month after D-Day and it being penned just four years following the Vietnam War, the weight of the characters' worries becomes much heavier. As the winner of the 1980 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Talley's Folly is as much a glimpse into the personal lives of its characters as it is Wilson's life and post-war America.

Sally Talley and Matt Friedman met a year prior to the action of the play and spent a summer romance in a boathouse built by Sally's uncle. After a year's worth of letters, Matt decides to visit Sally, intending to propose. As they each attempt to chip away at the other's shell, their pasts resurface, which they desperately try to avoid, Matt by using humorous stories and Sally by bringing up finance and economics. Each of them have been scarred by war and misfortune, but ultimately find hope and love.

Talley's Folly is fraught with insight into American post-war culture of the 1940s, 1970s and even today. Wilson draws on his childhood in Missouri to develop the caricatures Matt portrays as he imitates Sally's relatives and he uses Sally's fear of a second Great Depression to comment on the residual American sentiments following the Vietnam War. Sally expects an economic collapse following the war, while Matt insists there is plenty of capital for the country to remain fiscally sound. Matt openly criticizes American democracy while Sally evidently wants nothing to do with the labor issues plaguing her family's business as she nurses soldiers back to health. They both echo the cries of post-Vietnam War views, asking what it was all for except for death and a repeat of the past. Not to leave audiences dismayed at such negativity, Wilson neatly wraps these concerns in romance and comedy and caps the story with hope, perseverance and a kiss.

As Matt Friedman, Scott Leibowitz does an amazing job switching from a meta-theatrical monologue to a master impersonator to a comedian to a romantic to a cynic and back again. He tackles his character with precision and creates a beautiful consistent arc for Matt. Leibowitz is funny, charming, well-rounded and a perfect sparring partner for Kathy Becker as Sally Talley. Becker stays steadfastly stubborn in her rejection of Matt, while giving slight smiles and glimpses of hope to the audience. She is a strong female character very well cast.

The Vex's production of Talley's Folly is detailed, entertaining and thought-provoking. Director Jim Mammarella infused plenty of movement and humor into the piece, allowing the actors meld with their surroundings. The boathouse set designed by Ken Frazier is a spectacular folly accented by his subtle lighting and brought to life with its many decorative elements and props. Chad A. Miller's sound design was rather minimalist and could have provided much more ambience as mentioned throughout the script and pointed out in Matt's opening monologue. Yvette Oakes-Crabtree's costume design was accurate from Sally's victory rolls to Matt's tie. Whether intentional or not, Sally's lack of pantyhose speaks volumes of the character and her situation.

Wilson uses a seemingly incidental tangent in Talley's Folly to discuss the fears and attitudes of post-war America while keeping it light with a cloaking blend of comedy and romance. Friedman and Becker are a perfect casting as they took to their roles and each other like kismet. The Vex's Talley's Folly is a treat fit for a Valentine's date and a reflective night of intelligent theatre beautifully staged.


Talley's Folly will run at The Sheldon Vexler Theatre through March 1, 2015 with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.vexler.org.

True West: A true theatre experience

by Jenni Morin

Sam Shepard's Pulitzer Prize-winning True West, now playing at the Tobin Center, is a testament to the power of of an honest and simple story. AtticRep's production highlights the script with incredible talent and attention to detail in its technical execution. True West allows audiences to reflect on their capabilities and tolerance for life-altering change.

Andrew Thornton and Rick Frederick in True West
at the Tobin Center. Photo by Siggi Ragnar.

A successful Hollywood screenwriter, Austin attempts to pitch his latest script to a producer amidst the distractions of his estranged uninvited brother. When Lee convinces the producer to run with his simple western instead, Austin becomes unhinged, catapulting the brothers into opposite roles. The action unfolds as each tries to cope with their newly dealt hands and reveals chaos, sibling rivalry and violence.

Andrew Thornton as Lee is an invading force of unkempt burping, fully committed to the disgusting vegabond brother. Rick Frederick as Austin may flop and flail in his exasperation, but he is consistently the tightly wound brother who has lost his pedestal. As the producer, Guy Schaafs is appropriately fake and nearly emotionally leveled. While Rita Crosby as Mom doesn't quite match the volume or boisterousness of her sons, she brings a welcome dose of humor to a tense scene.

Director David Connelly kept the reality of the script while adding humor, movement and plenty of telling looks executed perfectly by his cast. Production Designer Martha Penaranda brought the show together with great technical details. Robin Crews' lighting at times felt haphazard, but colored the mood well throughout. Costumes were on point and well aged, especially the stains on Lee's shirt and trench coat thanks to Angelina Mata. Even the pre-show music was chosen with purpose by Jeremiah Tuetsch while the sound design brought the show to life. Ed Diaz created an immaculately detailed set, although the entire layout of the house seemed somewhat of a mystery based on the staged section. Set dressings were important characters, especially the house plants, as with Rex Harder's props.

True West examines the human need for identity. Without it, Shepard asks if we become someone else or if we are just lost. Shepard also pokes fun at the frills and assumptions of Hollywood and blockbuster movies, making it even more obvious that this well written script is a masterpiece in its simplicity. Marked as a tragicomedy, this gradual descent into desperation begs audiences to examine the characteristics which define identity and if those are purely oppositions to those well-defined, self-confident individuals or counterparts.

The AtticRep production of True West exemplifies theatre as a craft without the unnecessary bells, whistles and gimmicks. True West is a quality theatrical experience boasting unparalleled talents and production value.


True West runs at the Carlos Alvarez Studio Theatre at the Tobin Center through February 8 with performances at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit atticrep.org.

Experience The Last Five Years

by Jenni Morin

Divorce can be devastating or a relief, just as the commitment of marriage can be binding or dismissible. In Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years, now running at The Playhouse’s Cellar Theater through February 15, a relationship is on display to experience the rise and seemingly inevitable fall of one couple.

Reagan Wilson (Cathy) and Grant Bryan (Jamie) in
The Last Five Years at The Playhouse. Photo by Siggi Ragnar.

Jamie and Cathy tell the story of their relationship, the courtship, marriage and divorce, through inverse timelines and song. While Cathy begins the show at the end of the marriage, Jamie begins at their meeting. The two characters rarely interact on stage, except when the timelines intersect in the middle of the show for the wedding ceremony. As Jamie finds himself, Cathy loses herself and the telltale signs of trouble are revealed mostly by Cathy’s laments and resolutions and Jamie’s actions.

Director Chris Berry makes an impressive debut at The Playhouse with two powerhouse voices and a challenging piece. Their relationship feels like an everyday romance rather than an all-consuming love, which speaks to the essence of the script: this can happen to anyone. The actors, however, seemed hindered and their voices stifled, perhaps by their unnecessary microphones or the infamous fourth wall, lacking the jolt needed to truly penetrate the intimate space of the Cellar and deeply connect with the audience.
Grant Bryan, making his debut on the San Antonio theatre scene as Jamie, has an incredible voice, as does his counterpart, Reagan Wilson as Cathy. Together, the two bring the script and lyrics roaring to life with soaring ballads and catchy melodies. Although a little stiff at first, once settled into their roles, they become increasingly engaging. Musical Director Darrin Newhardt and his band meld nicely into the scenary and compliment Bryan and Wilson well.
The set by Ryan DeRoos initially seems utilitarian and cluttered, but actually makes a lovely commentary as the actors are surrounded by all the stuff, moments and memories that make up their lives and their relationship. The “cracked foundation” is literal and symbolic, nearly serving as a third character on stage. The set is subtly highlighted by Denisse Chavez’s lighting design while Paige Berry’s costuming aptly reflects the characters’ personalities.

Contrary to popular belief, the divorce rate is not increasing and if trends continue, only one-third of marriages will end in divorce rather than 50 percent, according to data reported by The New York Times this past December. While Jamie and Cathy only exhibit a few of the factors contributing to divorce, there are still several issues plaguing their relationship, such as Cathy’s personal insecurity and Jamie’s infidelity. Regardless, even after 14 years, The Last Five Years accurately represents what some might call an epidemic in modern culture. It’s certainly relatable, even without the divorce factor, as the experience of a relationship’s ebb and flow, arc of passion and ending is universal.

The Last Five Years may not be a hard-hitting social commentary, but it illuminates an often stigmatized subject as a fact of life, not an embarrassment or failure. The Playhouse’s production offers a healthy dose of cynicism, or thankfulness, just in time for Valentine’s Day and the release of the film starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan.
Anyone can relate to this musical, a truthful empathetic story with characters fascinating in their simplicity. Bryan and Wilson’s exquisite vocals make The Last Five Years a must see production guaranteed to captivate.


The Last Five Years runs at The Playhouse’s Cellar Theater through February 15 with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit theplayhousesa.org.

Merry Gentlemen: A new Christmas classic

by Jenni Morin

When audiences usually encounter a play, it is a full production with a finalized script and all the technical bells and whistles to make it a polished theatrical performance. Local playwright Sheila Rinear’s Merry Gentlemen offers audiences a different experience with a staged reading in the Cellar Theater at The Playhouse San Antonio.

The staged reading is a bare-bones production where the cast sits with the script and reads it, complete with stage directions, to the audience. Director Matthew Byron Cassi has the cast act out a few scenes with blocking to give the audience a better feel for the show. A chalk and block set helps set the scene along with a few light and sound effects. This is about experiencing a script still in the writing process.

Those who have followed the evolution of this script may have attended the readings and talk back sessions over the past few months and will be glad to know the essence of the script – and its favorite characters – have stayed intact. While Rinear would still like to “massage” a few of the scenes, the script is at a point for a pared down production.

Rinear received a wide variety of suggestions for her script, which borrows elements from the infamous A Christmas Carol, to make it more fantastical, darker and a closer adaptation of the original. It is, at this moment, a modern Christmas story all its own. While several names and a few key elements still allude to Dickens’ classic, there are more mentions of classic film and pop culture that make the play feel more modern than previous drafts. A few of the improvements to the script include a more defined character arch for Ben Dickens, read by Marc Duratt, and a more obviously desperate and focused attitude for the crippled Tim Dickens, read by Bradley Fertilla. Since the characters are more developed, there is less explanation of lines, more action and an expanded plot.

The introduction of the Wigs character, read by Jakob Minton, helps advance the action and provide an inspiring and heartwarming element of hope to a somewhat grim storyline. The script also features several puns and comedic moments that lighten the mood. Actors John Minton as Fred and Catherine Babbitt as Miss Marley really highlight those gems while Kayli Hernandez as the little girl brings a load of sass.

One of the most exciting experiences of attending a staged reading is imagining the full production as a director or designer would when they first read a script. It’s a rare opportunity to focus on words, characters and possibilities from inside the artistic process. Rinear’s play is familiar, yet still different, as it touches on tragedy and comedy through a cast of fresh characters. Merry Gentlemen would be a welcome addition to the Christmas theatre canon.


Merry Gentlemen will run at The Playhouse's Cellar Theater through December 14 at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Check with the box office for talk back sessions with the audience following the reading. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit theplayhousesa.org.

Sweater Curse: Cleverly Woven

by Jenni Morin

Elaine Liner’s Sweater Curse: A Yarn About Love currently running at The Classic Theatre is intelligent, well-tailored theatre with something for everyone – from seasoned knitters to classic film buffs.

Written and performed by Liner herself, the script is what you would expect from an award-winning writer and it has been vetted and lauded at numerous festivals including two runs at the renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. The 75-minute one-woman show proves that a sophisticated script can engage an audience just as well, if not better, than an over dramatized monologue or tawdry standup routine.

Directed by Tim Hedgepeth, Liner’s longtime friend and former classmate from Trinity University, the play is earnest, engaging and witty. Liner’s low smooth voice perfectly compliments her confident yet unassuming candor like a fitted cashmere sweater. She appears chic and stylish amongst her fibers as she commands the stage. The set pays homage to knitting with yarn-bombed furniture and a stockpile of sweaters knitted by Liner. Subtle lighting transitions help advance the monologue along with deliberate intervals of clacking knitting needles. After two years in rehearsal and performance, Liner has established a calm pace and captivating dialogue.

Her painstakingly constructed words illustrate the metaphor she draws between knitting and life, especially when it comes to love. In addition to a very relatable memoir of love lost, Liner weaves in mythology, history, pop culture, current events, film and, of course, theatre. From Odysseus’ Penelope to Shakespeare to Yarn Alive, the script transcends space and time to hone in on the old wives’ tale of the sweater curse. She discovers the truth behind the sweater curse, her own tendency to tempt fate, all the while shedding light on those sanskrit-like knitting patterns – and dating patters – doomed to repeat. While there is knitting vocabulary for the yarn crowd, non-knitters can appreciate references to literature and sharp-witted humor in addition to great acting.

Sweater Curse is where hobby meets intellect in a heartfelt tale of relationships and sundry purls of wisdom. Elaine Liner's care in crafting this script is just as evident as the love she puts into knitting her works of art.


Sweater Curse: A Yarn About Love will run at the Classic Theatre through December 7, 2014 with performances at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit classictheatre.org.

Ghosts: Classic clings to duty

by Jenni Morin

The Classic Theatre continues the theme of keeping up appearances with this season’s second show, Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts. Each character is haunted by secrets, past regressions and feigned propriety and unable to live happily while the judgmental rule of morality forces them to live in darkness with their ghosts.

Written shortly after one of Ibsen’s most famous works, A Doll’s House, Ghosts was meant to shock and appall audiences and critics. It did just that when it premiered in 1882 as it discussed such topics as adultery, venereal disease, illegitimate children, premarital cohabitation and flat out deceit. The play opens with Regine Engstrand, Mrs. Alving’s maid, arguing with her father Jakob Engstrand, who wants her to come live with in a sailor’s hostel he hopes to open. Pastor Manders, an old friend of Mrs. Alving and her financial advisor, comes to finalize the paperwork to dedicate a new orphanage to her late husband. Osvald Alving, Mr.s Alving’s son, has returned home from painting abroad in Paris because of his father’s passing and an illness he inherited from him. As the debauched past of Mr. Alving comes to light, the ghosts of these transgressions turn the lives of everyone involved upside down.

Ghosts constantly puts duty and ideals at war with truth and insists that deceit breeds unhappiness and ruin. The imagery of the light juxtaposed to the dark, where the ghosts live, is quite beautifully illustrated in the script. Osvald feels the full burden of his inherited disease as it manifests physically and eats away at his brain—quite a visual for how secrets can fester and consume. Ibsen makes his stance known early in the play during the pivotal scene when Pastor Manders confronts Mrs. Helene Alving about the books she’s been reading. This integral scene lacked the finesse necessary to nail Ibsen’s point in this production. At times the dialogue seemed chaotic as actors jumped their lines, but was calmed by the telling looks and silences. The staging and blocking by Director Omar Leos was often the driving force that kept the pace for the show as the actors seemingly danced around the stage to involve the audience positioned in stadium seating on either side.

As always, Andrew Thornton as Pastor Manders was the anchor for the entire cast with a superior and consistent performance. Sam Carter Gilliam as Mrs. Helene Alving was definitely in her element with this period drama. She embraced the melodramatic tendency of the script, especially in the scenes she shared with Trevor Chauvin, who fully committed to the self pitying romantic “reinstated son” Osvald. Julya Jara and George Burnette, as Regine and Jakob Engstrand, were steadfast and impeccable.

The set, designed by Ric Slocum, mirrored the staging as the two entrance and exit points toyed with dimensionality. The skewed placement of the partially hanging set was a wonderful commentary on how things appear depending on the point of view. The score, written and performed by Darrin Newhardt, was ethereal and chilling, a lovely complement to the understated technical elements, which brought the show together.

Classic’s production of Ghosts is a scandalous journey through deep dark secrets, complete with subtle gems of brilliance and a cast fit for Ibsen’s ire and candor.
Ibsen warns that secrets should be abandoned, people should live openly and not to judge too quickly or our sins will haunt us and our descendents. While some of the consequences to not following this advice seem harsh and graphic at times, it is the blunt and unabashed truth which continues to make Ghosts pertinent and impactful. Audiences should delve into shameful embarrassing secrets, discover their own definition of immorality and form their own opinion of this contentious drama.


Ghosts will run at Classic through November 23, 2014 with performances at 8 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit classictheatre.org.

Kids4Kids supports immigrant children, uses art as a vehicle for change

by Jenni Morin

Last weekend, TFC premiered the short film La Llorona at ArteFest. The two-day Día de los Muertos celebration was anchored by the film which used the legend of the weeping woman to illuminate the issue of immigration, especially the harrowing tales of children crossing the border and often caught in violence on their way to freedom. This weekend, audiences have an opportunity to take action on this issue with Kids4Kids.

On Saturday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. The Playhouse San Antonio, Tova Rubin and Melinda Tucker will present Kids4Kids, a benefit performance aimed at raising funds and awareness for unaccompanied refugee and immigrant children. The is sponsored by Pioneer Energy Services and Shannon Sedgwick Davis and Sam Davis Foundation, allowing 100 percent of ticket sales to go directly to organizations stepping up to the cause.

Through the lens of children directly impacted by the work of St. PJ’s Children’s Home and RAICES to combat the immigration crises, the program will feature approximately 100 youth performers from various performing arts organizations around San Antonio. “The theme of the show is diversity, coming together to help children in need,” says Rubin. 

The performance is for children by children in that each piece selected displays compassion and empathy while using the power of the performing arts to tell the story of hope, love and friendship, Tucker explains. After learning of the immigration crisis this summer with an increasing influx of unaccompanied minors flooding the borders from Central America, Tucker teamed up with Rubin and Playhouse CEO Asia Ciaravino who pitched putting together a show to benefit the two organizations “on the front lines of serving the children by providing a safe shelter, compassionate counseling, nutrition, education, hope, love and legal support.” Audience members are encouraged to reach out to organizations like St. PJ’s and RAICES to offer help either monetarily, through donations of needed items, through volunteering or becoming a foster parent.

More than 66,000 minors crossed the southwest border illegally in fiscal year 2014, which is an 88 percent increase from 2013. Children are often fleeing extreme violence, oppression, trafficking and abuse, but they are making the journey alone without the promise of family, shelter or safety on the other side.

Kids4Kids uses the arts to tell this story to cut through the political nature of the issue and bring back the human side. “Using the arts as a vehicle of change is so important because it tells the story on an emotional level that is difficult to achieve by just reading the news or seeing a sound bite while flipping through the news,” Tucker says.

She thought it was important to give a face to the issue by involving kids who may be the same age as many of the children immigrants. “Sharing their talents for other kids gives them an opportunity to be thankful for all of their many blessings,” says Tucker. “It also provides the opportunity for the kids to learn the importance of using their creative gifts for the good of the community.”


Kids4Kids will have one performance only on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014 at 2 p.m. in the Russell Hill Rogers Theatre at The Playhouse San Antonio. Tickets may be purchased online through theplayhousesa.org or at The Playhouse box office. Those interested in making an additional contribution or unable to attend the performance can do so online at www.crowdrise.com/Kids4Kids.