Theater Notes: Two more must-sees
I love the spirit of live theater that is available to us here on the island and across the causeway. On Saturday, I saw two examples that I will urge you to go see. They are at opposite ends of a continuum of brilliant productions. One is the baldest farce you may ever see, and the other the most poignant drama you will regret if you miss it.
The farce is “Shear Madness” in the Studio Theater at Florida Repertory Theater in Fort Myers. Calling it the baldest farce is a bad pun because it all takes place in a hair-larious beauty parlor. It is better to call it the boldest farce, because it pokes fun literally at everything including death and all the nutty politics that appear in the daily media. It has been running for 37 years on Broadway. Now, it’s here.
The prodigious cast is dazzling. Sara Morsey, one of my favorites is central, and delightfully surrounded by one of the leads, Danny Benardy, who played Tony the owner of the salon, at the Kennedy Center. and Timothy Goodwin from the New York Production who anchors the whole madness, and links all the madness to what’s currently going in our nutty world. No one will forget Jennifer Byrne or Jonathan Wiener and kudos, too, for acting intern, Brady Wease in a fine debut performance.
The laughs are so hilarious. Nothing is spared. They are ribald, crazy and boundless. The audiences sides are split over the ridiculous and awesomely enjoyable wit. And that’s only the first act. In the second act the audience is invited to help solve the murder.
“Shear Madness” is definitely deserving of that must-see rating. But there is a problem. It’s sold out for many weeks ahead. But, get online, search, find a seat, call the box office, miracles happen in a hair salon. Call (239) 332-4488 or go to floridarep.org for tickets.
The poignant play that is the other must-see is at The Theatre Conspiracy. It’s a play called “33 Variations” by Moises Kaufman. The plot is tender. A musicologist, played by what many of us consider the best actress in Southwest Florida, the indomitable Lauren Drexler, needs to go to Bonn, Germany to do a major treatise on Beethoven’s infatuation near the end of his life with a short waltz by another composer. There she meets a woman involved in Beethoven who runs the museum where his diaries and music scores are cherished and preserved. Another favorite of The Theatre Conspiracy, Joann Haley, stars as Dr. Gertrude Ladenberger. The two together are precious moments in the play.
Two other tender characters are the musicologist’s feisty daughter, (Julia Rivera) and her new boyfriend, PJ McCready. Adolescent troubles takes us in deeper.
Enhancing the plot we have Beethoven’s devotee and ardent helper, Anton Schindler, ably acted by Scott Carpenter, trying to keep the maestro alive and pushing him to finish the 9th Symphony, and a mass, the public is waiting for.
He provides some of the comedy relief as darkness looms.
The gripping play, sharpened by the brilliant direction of Rachel Endrizzi, moves between now and Beethoven’s last years, 1819-1827. Jim Varnes gives another remarkable performance as Ludwig. The composer of the Waltz, and a publisher of music, is David Coretti.
This may well be the best play I’ve seen at The Theatre Conspiracy. I don’t say that lightly, because the past gems are many. Get a ticket and go to this one, fast. Call the box office at (239) 936-3239 or go to theatreconspiracy.org
Support live theater, get out and go.