Cape Cod Performing Arts

Eventide Arts to offer theatre classes for adults

Classes will be held Tuesdays, January 31 through March 6th

Eventide Arts announced that they are offering a series of theatre classes for adults.  The six classes are offered in collaboration with the Cape Cod Museum of Art and are geared towards playwrights, writers and interested theatre-goers.

Sign up for individual classes, $15 each, or the entire series for $90. Classes will be held at Cape Cod Museum of Art (CCMOA), 60 Hope Lane  and on the Gertrude Lawrence Stage at the Dennis Union Church (DUC), on Route 6A, both in Dennis Village.

The schedule is as follows:

• Jan 31 - The Long and Short of It: Adapting a Short Work into a Longer One with playwright and past Kaplan Playwriting Contest winner Candace Perry. This is part one of a two-part course (6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at CCMOA).
• Feb 07 - Part II of Candace Perry’s class (6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at CCMOA).
• Feb 14 - Acting for Non-Actors: Scenes, Technique, and an Inside Look into Process with actor, choreographer, and director Eliza Ryan (6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at DUC).
• Feb 21 - Perspectives of Theatre History: Theatres and Audiences and Crafting the Play Today: Playwrights, Actors, Designers and Directors with designer, director and past Artistic Director of Eventide Arts, Ellis Baker (6:30 p.m. to  8:30 p.m.  at DUC).
• Feb 28 - Acting the Role: An Actor’s View on Bringing the Writer’s Words to Life with actor, director and current Artistic Director of Eventide Arts, Toby Wilson (6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at CCMOA).
• Mar 06 - The Art of Stage Management with stage and production management specialist Tara Galvin (6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at CCMOA).

Registration is required by calling 508-398-8588 ext. 3 or by emailing info@eventidearts.org. Visit the Eventide Arts website here for more information.

Cape Cod Theatre Project appoints new artistic director

Hal Brooks will succeed Andrew Polk as artistic director of The Cape Cod Theatre Project.

In July 2011 Polk announced plans to depart The Cape Cod Theatre Project following the completion of the 2011 season in order to pursue other artistic opportunities. Polk served as artistic director of the organization for 17 years. Brooks will assume the title of artistic director immediately.

In recent years, Hal Brooks staged the national tour of Nilaja Sun’s Obie Award Winning No Child… which, after a year-long critically-lauded run at both the Barrow Street Theatre and Epic Theatre in New York City, toured nationally and internationally. He also directed the acclaimed Off Broadway hit and Pulitzer Finalist Thom Pain (based on nothing) by Will Eno, and has spent several seasons as the associate artistic director of the Ojai Playwrights Conference. He also served as artistic director of the Rude Mechanicals of New York. In April, he directed Mona Mansour's Urge for Goingas part of Public Lab at the Public Theater. He is currently at work on The Bald Sopran0 for The Pearl Theater Company in New York.

"I am thrilled by the appointment to become artistic director of The Cape Cod Theatre Project. I am passionate about new plays, and CCTP has an outstanding track record as a place where playwrights can develop new work, and then expect to see that play find a production in New York and at regional theaters throughout the country. My hope is to continue and expand the excellent work where Andrew Polk left off: to create an environment where talented professional writers, directors and actors can thrive in a beautiful place and develop vibrant, challenging work that will enrich the landscape of American theater. Unique to CCTP is how important the audience becomes part of the developmental process - and I am eager to engage with them next summer."

For information about The Cape Cod Theatre Project, you can visit their website at capecodtheatreproject.org or contact them at 508-457-4242.

Courtesy of the Cape Cod Theatre Project.

"Unneccessary Farce" is fast-paced and laugh out loud funny

Bring on the guns and guffaws--you'll need a scorecard to keep track of the cops, crooks and kooks

Left to right: John Scherer, Jeremy Webb, Michael McGrath, Suzanne Hay, Dee Hoty and Brad Bellamy, six of the members of the very talented seven person cast. Photo by Kathleen A. Fahle.

By Maggie Kulbokas

They call it a farce for a reason. It's over the top, fast-paced and funny. And 2011 at the Cape Playhouse will end in a blur as "Unnecessary Farce" closes out this very strong season. The laugh out loud comedy by Paul Slade Smith, stars a handful of returning Cape Playhouse favorites.

Set in a seedy motel with connecting rooms, "Unnecessary Farce" has more action than a finals match at Wimbledon.

A farce is defined my Merriam Webster as "a light dramatic composition marked by broadly satirical comedy and improbable plot"--and that is "Unnecessary Farce" to a tee. Tagged as "Two cops. Three crooks. Eight doors. Go.", It's more like eight doors, seven kooky characters, two rooms and non-stop shenanigans.

Jennifer Cody as Officer Billie Dwyer and in the closet, Jeremy Webb as Todd. Photo by Kathleen A. Fahle.

Officers Billie Dwyer (Jennifer Cody) and Eric Sheridan (John Scherer) are on routine assignment: videotape a meeting between the rat--Mayor Meekly (Brad Bellamy), who the department believes has embezzled $16 million, and the bait--the town's new sharp and sexy accountant, Karen Brown (Dee Hoty). Although they mean well, Police academy rejects, Billie and Eric, are clearly not the right cops for this job. Billie's afraid of her own shadow, never mind guns and Eric has about as much self confidence as the Cowardly Lion (pre-Wizard).

As the sting starts, Billie is undercover in her uniform, the mayor wanders off before his big confession, Eric's distracted and Karen can't seem to keep her clothes on. Enter the twitchy Agent Frank (Michael McGrath) who tries to warn off Karen with outlandish tales of a unlikely mafia don and a tremendously tense hitman named Todd (Jeremy Webb) and they're off.

Much like the quintessential British farce, "Noises Off", "Unnecessary Farce" is a cacophony of slamming doors, sexual innuendo, mistaken identity and missing clothing.

As an ensemble, the cast possesses the key element of comedic timing--the show just wouldn't work without it. The stage is often a blur of constant motion, with scenes performed simultaneously and dialogue delivered at a machine gun clip.

But if anybody is guilty of thieving in this cop comedy, it's Jennifer Cody as Billie, who should be cuffed and booked for stealing the show. She's a compact bundle of giggles--with a comedic style reminiscent of "Saturday Night Live" veteran Cheri Oteri.

Set designers are rarely ever praised for what isn't on stage--but Ray Klausen's "invisible" wall managed to allow fluid motion across the stage, while at the same time, making the two hotel rooms seem completely separate and private, except for the surveillance equipment, of course.

"Unnecessary Farce" may be improbable and irreverent, but it is also funny and delivered at a fever pitch--a great way to bid the Dennis stage adieu until next season.

 "Unnecessary Farce" runs now through September 3, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911.

"Bakersfield Mist" at WHAT is wild and witty

Lively and smart, new play packs as much punch as a Pollock

   Ken Cheeseman as Lionel Percy and Paula Langton as Maude Gutman in "Bakersfield Mist" at WHAT. Photo by Jeff Zinn.

By Maggie Kulbokas

"Bakersfield Mist" premiered last week on the Julie Harris Stage at WHAT (Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater) in Wellfleet before a very enthusiastic audience. From the Cape's gallery town comes a new play about the age old question--debate, really--what IS art?  If a painting evokes a particular feeling in the viewer, is it not art regardless of the artist, the medium or the viewer?

 Written by Stephen Sachs and directed by Jeff Zinn, "Bakersfield Mist" is an engaging one act play featuring two very talented actors. Based on a true story*, "Bakersfield Mist" is about Maude Gutman, an over the hill, chain-smoking, unemployed bartender who purchases the ugliest painting she can find at a thrift shop as a gag gift for a friend. Turns out, Maude's $5-marked-down-to-$3 joke, may be an authentic Jackson Pollock. Pollock (1912-1956) was an abstract expressionist painter, known for his uniquely wild splatter and drip-style of painting. Potentially worth millions, Maude arranges for an art expert from the East Coast to personally inspect the painting in her Bakersfield trailer.

*"Bakersfield Mist" is based on the true story of Teri Horton, a retired truck driver, who in the mid-90s at the age of 73, purchased the ugliest painting she could find as a gag gift for a friend in San Bernardino, California.
     Teri's story was told in the 2006 documentary, "Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock?"

The esteemed Lionel Percy arrives at the trailer park by limo, straight off the art foundation's private jet from New York City. Percy is well-bred, snobbish and clearly mortified by Maude and Maude's home. Could this foul-mouthed, tattooed, whiskey-swilling woman be the owner of a masterpiece? Percy's arrogance and ignorance tells him otherwise and he dismisses both Maude and her painting with only a fleeting inspection.

In a cluttered kitschy trailer, the self-proclaimed pope of the art world goes toe to toe, or better, wing tip to cowboy boot, with a woman who may be lacking in polish and education, but is no dumb broad--the two soon learning they may be more alike then either would care to admit.

Paula Langton, as Maude, and Ken Cheeseman, as Percy, were both captivating.  They deftly avoided the all too easy trap of portraying their characters as caricatures, instead bringing two very different, but equal people to life.

The set, designed by Ji-you Chang had a lived in feel--the home of someone who, in her own words, likes to collect junk. Detailed props and design makes one wonder if there was anything left to purchase at the Wellfleet Flea Market this weekend. Whether worth millions or not, that Maude has quite a collection.

A rolling world premiere, "Bakersfield Mist" is a co-production with New Repertory Theatre in Watertown, where the play will be staged in February and March of 2012. The play runs now through September 4, Thursdays through Sundays on WHAT's Julie Harris Stage, 2357 Route 6, Wellfleet.  Tickets, $29 ($15 for students), are available online here and at the Box Office by calling 508-349-9428.

Cape crowd "Crazy" for Gershwin at the Playhouse in Dennis

   The cast of "Crazy for You" with Matt Loehr as Bobby and Vanessa Sonon as Polly at center. Photo credit: Kathleen A. Fahle.

By Maggie Kulbokas

One word for the opening night performance of "Crazy for You" at the Cape Playhouse Monday night: WOW. The Playhouse keeps the musical momentum of "Footloose" going and then some with the Gershwin hit "Crazy for You".

"Crazy for You" was written in the early 1990s (book by Ken Ludwig with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin) and based on the 1930 Gershwin musical "Girl Crazy".  In addition to songs from "Girl Crazy", "Crazy for You" includes songs from several other productions including "Shall We Dance" and "A Damsel in Distress".  Unsurprisingly, the show took the Tony for Best Musical in 1992. Dubbed "The New Gershwin Musical", it has all the elements of the perfect stage show: timeless toe-tapping tunes, incredible dance numbers and quick and witty dialogue. 

These elements were expertly presented by an amazingly talented cast of actor/dancer/singers.  From the first act to the last, the Cape Playhouse rumbled with high energy and magical music.

"Crazy for You" is pure Americana--Gershwin standards belted out by cowboys, dancing girls, a sassy heroine named Polly and a daydreaming leading man named Bobby. It's unrequited love, overcoming obstacles and doing the right thing set in time to some delightful ditties.

Matt Loehr as Bobby and Vanessa Sonon as Polly. Photo credit: Kathleen A. Fahle.

The show opens in New York City in the 1920s. Bobby Child works at the family-owned bank for his overbearing mother and has been skirting a wedding date with his even more overbearing fiancee.  Bobby is put-upon, put down and all he wants to do is dance. When an audition for the famous Bela Zangler, producer of the famed Zangler Follies, doesn't go as well as he would like, Bobby takes refuge in a decidedly unshowbiz assignment--serve foreclosure papers on a property in Deadrock, Nevada.

Bobby arrives in Deadrock to find a tumbleweed town filled with bored cowboys, a saloon and a post office. It doesn't take long for Bobby to fall head over tap shoes in love with Polly, the town's spitfire and owner of the Gaity Theater--now the town post office. It's the Gaiety Theater that the bank is foreclosing on, and instead of delivering the death blow, Bobby decides to find a way to help Polly save the show.

What follows is act after act--both fun and funny--based on one of the cornerstones of American comedy--mistaken identity.

The entire cast is a treat to watch--truly talented guys and dolls with impressive experience on, off and near Broadway. Matt Loehr and Vanessa Sonon were Bobby Child and Polly Baker--roles they recently played at the Maltz Jupiter Theater in Florida. And their level of comfort with the characters showed. Both are wonderful singers and marvelous tap dancers.

The rest of the cast including Lauren Kadel as Tess, Michael Brian Dunn as Bela Zangler, Michael Halling as Lank and David Titus as Polly's addle-brained dad, all possess true comedic timing and a gift for physical comedy.

And what can you say about Gershwin? It's Gershwin, and the orchestra had the audience wiggling in their seats with standards including "Embraceable You", "I Got Rhythm" and "Nice Work if You Can Get it".

Director Mark Martino and Choreographer Shea Sullivan managed to make a huge production filled with non-stop movement fit on the historic playhouse stage. And the scenic design by Dan Kuchar was fun and elaborate--almost like the backdrop in a Looney Toons cartoon. The set pieces swirled and unfolded becoming moving parts of the cast.

"Footloose" was fun, but "Crazy About You" is pure joy.

"Crazy for You" runs now through August 20, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911. Coming up next: "Unnecessary Farce".

Original scripts sought for "Playing with Your Food" series at Cape Cod Community College

Deadline is August 26, 2011

Cape Cod Community College is continuing its “Play with Your Food” series, featuring local playwrights’ original scripts for workshop readings.  All productions take place in the college’s Tilden Arts Center Studio Theater, with a limited dinner menu available for purchase to enjoy during the show.  The evening concludes with a talk-back session. 

Submissions are now being accepted via email for production dates in October 2011 and February/March 2012. Closing date for submissions is August 26th.

For more information, contact Nancy Willets at nwillets@capecod.edu.

Courtesy of Cape Cod Community College.

Everybody, cut "Footloose" at the Cape Playhouse

Take a trip back to the 80s a la Kevin Bacon and Kenny Loggins in Dennis

   John Jeffrey Martin as Ren; George Dvorsky as Reverend Shaw Moore and Chelsea Morgan Stock as Ariel. Photo credit: Kathleen A. Fahle.

By Maggie Kulbokas

So far this season, the Cape Playhouse has transported us to the 60s in "The Graduate", the 70s in "No Way to Treat a Lady" and now the 80s in the loud and rowdy modern classic, "Footloose".  "Footloose" opened Monday night to a very receptive crowd that was much more diverse than the folks who typically take in this Mid Cape theatrical treat. People of all ages-including children-clapped and boogied in their seats during this two act, high energy musical.

Most often, a stage play is made into a movie, but it was the opposite in this case. The original film "Footloose" hit the big screen in 1984 and turned out to be a very successful movie boasting a cast of destined-to-be big stars including Kevin Bacon as the lead character Ren, John Lithgow as the Reverend  Moore and Lori Singer, Dianne Wiest, Christopher Penn and Sarah Jessica Parker. The movie's soundtrack was equally impressive holding the number one spot on the Billboard Pop Chart for several months with hits by Kenny Loggins, Deniece Williams, Bonnie Tyler and Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart.

John Jeffrey Martin as Ren, preaching to the gym. Photo credit: Kathleen A. Fahle.

The stage version is very faithful to the original film and contains all the hits you know by heart, plus a few new ones by Tom Snow and Dean Pitchford to round out the musical.

"Footloose" is the story of Ren, a smart, can't-sit-still kind of kid who is uprooted from Chicago when his father abandons his mother and him, forcing them to move in with her sister and brother-in-law in Bomont, Texas-smack-dab in the middle of the Bible Belt.  It's not that Ren is a bad guy, he just has a lot of energy, a quick wit and the need to dance. And dancing is not allowed in Bomont where Reverend Moore controls the entire town's morality and spirituality with an iron fist.

"Footloose" is a story of the little guy vs. the big guy, the lone wolf vs. the establishment.  Closed-minded people being challenged and what happens when they realize change is good and that not everybody has to dress the same way, think the same way, act the same way and worship the same way.  Although the screenplay was written in the early 80s and the stage version was developed in 1998, the David vs. Goliath-like tale still resonates today and really, always will.

The large cast was probably one of the youngest to jitter and gyrate across the historic Playhouse stage, but their acting credits are impressive and include many popular on and off Broadway shows including "Grease", Disney's "High School Musical", "Mama Mia!" and "Avenue Q".

From the rise of the curtain to its final fall, the stage is alive with bright colors, catchy tunes and lots and lots of high energy dancing.  How they get that many people moving that fast, in time on a stage that size, without the benefit of months and months of rehearsal, is truly a mystery.  And there was a lot to choreograph-a large cast, with several group numbers and sixteen scenes-kudos to director Mark Martino and choreographer Vince Pesce. 

The stage design by Michael Schweikardt was striking-just the big endless sky over Texas dotted with telephone poles that eerily resemble crucifixes-a constant reminder that you are always under the Reverend's watchful eye.  The color of the changing sky and some heavy duty props and stage scenery transformed the stage into a chapel, a gas station lot and a train bridge among other spots in Bomont.

The core cast of John Jeffrey Martin as Ren, Marci Reid as his mother, George Dvorsky as the Reverend Shaw Moore, Maureen Brennan as the preacher's wife and Chelsea Morgan Stock as the preacher's daughter, Ariel, were all wonderful dancers and singers and fun to watch.  The supporting cast including Gwen Hollander as Rusty, Matthew Dorsey as Willard and Marissa Rosen as the clear audience favorite, Wendy Jo, rounded out the quirky and likeable cast. 

Part "Grease", part "West Side Story" and all "Footloose"-the show is non-stop fun and something you won't want to miss this summer!

"Footloose" runs now through August 6, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911. Coming up next: "Crazy for You".

Mrs. Robinson has her way with the crowd at the Cape Playhouse

The Graduate entertains an eager audience in Dennis

By Maggie Kulbokas

The Cape Playhouse has another hit on their hands this week with their third show of the 2011 season, The Graduate.  Unless you were born in the 90s or know very little of American pop culture, you are familiar with the story of The Graduate.  The 1967 award-winning comedy/drama was based on the novel of the same name penned three years earlier by Charles Webb, shortly after he graduated from college. The Graduate is the story of Benjamin Braddock, a thoroughly disillusioned college grad, who is seduced by the wife of one of his father's friends. As if matters weren't complicated enough, he finds himself falling for his lover's daughter while still in the midst of a torrid affair.

The play, adapted for the stage by Terry Johnson in 2000, and based on Webb's novel and the screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry,  enjoyed a successful run on both the British and American stage. Since its opening, the likes of Kathleen Turner, Lorraine Bracco, Anne Archer and Morgan Fairchild have taken on the role of the iconic Mrs. Robinson.

The story opens in Benjamin's bedroom. Although the guest of honor at his graduation party, he refuses to make an appearance and mingle with his parents' friends.  Benjamin has just graduated from college and he has a career in teaching and his whole life ahead of him.  But like many young people, he is disillusioned and can only look at his parents and their friends with hostility and loathing.

Enter Mrs. Robinson, drink in hand, searching for a place to lie down.  In probably one of the most famous scenes in American cinematography, Mrs. Robinson, the wife of Benjamin's father's best friend, seduces Benjamin who is half her age.  The two begin a torrid summer affair under the noses of Benjamin's unsuspecting parents and Mr. Robinson.

On opening night, the actors had the Dennis audience roaring.  Although four decades old, the story of The Graduate remains relevant today.  On the surface, The Graduate is about the seduction of a young man by an older woman-the self-professed cougars of today--but the real focus of the story is about growing older.  The Graduate is about the disillusionment of youth--about the difference between learning about life and actually living it.  It's about the big ideals and dreams of youth and the fear of becoming trapped in the quicksand of life.  In other words, whether or not you've bedded your father's best friend's wife, you can relate to the dreams and fears of all humans--young and old alike.

Anne Bancroft, Mrs. Robinson in the original motion picture, set the bar high for any other actress who takes on the role of the alcoholic and bored, yet fiendishly titillating housewife.  Patricia Richardson's portrayal of Mrs. Robinson was like an expertly mixed martini--just the right amount of sultry with a dash of boozy.  The audience ate up Ms. Richardson gravelly-voiced one liners and quips.

Jonathan Schwartz shined as Benjamin.  His Jason Schwartzman meets Holden Caulfield persona captured the angst of youth. Joel Higgins as Mr. Robinson, Emily Walton as Elaine Robinson and Mark Zimmerman as Benjamin's father were all very good, but Bethe B. Austin was clearly an audience favorite as Benjamin's quirky and clueless mother.

The show is fast paced and held the audience's attention from start to finish. The set design by James Morgan is simple, consisting of two interior doors and a closet against a bright California sky.  A dimming of the lights and mobile props including many (many) beds, made for quick scene changes. 

The piped in soundtrack courtesy of Simon and Garfunkel helped maintain that 60s feel and tie the stage performance to the film.  The Graduate may not be the most riveting or cutting edge tale, but it sure makes for a night of fun and entertainment.

The Graduate runs now through July 23, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911. Coming up next: Footloose: The Musical.

"No Way to Treat a Lady" slays the audience on opening night

Musical comedy about a maniac with mommy issues plays through July 9th

   Left to right: Bradley Dean and Judith Blazer in No Way to Treat a Lady at the Cape Playhouse. Photo by Kathleen A. Fahle.

By Maggie Kulbokas

The Cape Playhouse is on a roll with their second show of the season, No Way to Treat a Lady, running now through July 9th.  No Way to Treat a Lady is a dark, and funny musical about a serial killer on a rampage in New York City.  It may sound strange to use the words "funny" and "musical" to describe a story about a cop trying to catch a cold-blooded killer, but it really works.

No Way to Treat a Lady is a story about good boys, bad boys, and the women who shape their lives.  The book, music and lyrics were written by Cape native and award-winning author/composer, Douglas J. Cohen.  Cohen was in the audience at last night's well-received performance.

The musical was based on the 1964 novel of the same name by William Goldman.  Goldman's novel was originally made into a motion picture in 1968 and starred Rod Steiger and George Segal.

No Way to Treat a Lady tells the story of Christopher "Kit" Gill, an unsuccessful actor turned serial killer with mommy issues, and the NYPD detective on his trail, Morris "Moe" Brummell.  Brummell is a Jewish bachelor, who still lives with his overbearing mother, in the shadow of his successful brother the doctor. 

The detective leads a rather unexceptional existence, and yearns for a way to make a name for himself.  His goal is shared by an unlikely person, a serial killer seeking  notoriety and attention from the police, the press and the city at large. The killer phones Moe one day and the two begin a taunting game of cat and mouse that results in a strange dependence on one another.

Moe's plan to track and eventually trap the killer is temporarily waylaid when he meets a beautiful, rich society girl who lives in the apartment building of the first victim. Woven into the main story of cop vs killer are two subplots--what made Kit a killer and Moe's relationship with his mother and his new girlfriend.

Set in 1970s New York City, the stage design by Charlie Corcoran is both impressive and versatile. Towering brownstones and the steel bridge girders, gave the set a realistic urban feel.  Spinning corners are the front of the stage effortlessly switched the action from exterior to interior scenes.  A cleverly placed corral for the orchestra fit perfectly in the backdrop eliminating the need for an orchestra pit in front of the stage.

Effective lighting by Christopher S. Chambers, allowed for multiple scenes at one time.  Mark Shanahan's direction and Jennifer Waldman's choreography kept what could have become utter chaos, fluid and orderly.

The cast of four (portraying seventeen characters!)--Bradley Dean as the killer, Josh Grisetti as the cop, Stacie Morgain Lewis as the socialite and Judith Blazer as everyone else--were wonderful.  Blazer's transformation from an elderly victim to an overbearing Jewish mother to the several other characters she portrayed during the show was effortless and impressive.

Cohen's songs are fast and funny, although the humor at times is a bit cliché.  The idea of an upbeat ditty about a strangler may sound a bit off-putting--but it works. No Way to Treat a Lady is both dark and energetic. It may be no way to treat a lady, but it's an entertaining and fun way to treat an audience.

No Way to Treat a Lady runs now through July 9, Monday through Saturday at 8pm with matinees on Wednesday and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm.  The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis Village. Tickets and ticket subscriptions are available at the box office at 508-385-3911. Coming up next: The Graduate starring Patricia Richardson.

Spend an evening in Dennis with Lucille Ball

Giving Lucy and Desi their due

By Maggie Kulbokas

The curtain opened in Dennis tonight for the 85th season of the Cape Playhouse.  The season, which looks to be an entertaining one, got off to a nostalgic start with an "Evening with Lucille Ball: Thank You for Asking", a one woman show that brings Lucy, America’s beloved radio, television and film star, back to the stage.

The show features Suzanne LaRusch as Lucille Ball during a 1974 actor’s workshop in a California auditorium. In 1974, Lucy was 63.  She had a number one radio show, three successful sitcoms and over 70+ films including the at that time, soon to be released, "Mame", under her belt.  Lucille Ball, the actress is there for a Q&A. The audience is there to see Lucy Ricardo. But where does the character end and the actress begin?

Suzanne LaRusch as the one and only Lucille Ball. Photo courtesy of the Cape Playhouse.

The show is a series of memories woven together with images from Lucille Ball’s life and scenes from "I Love Lucy", one of the most popular television sitcoms of all time.

"An Evening with Lucille Ball" is an unabashed tribute to the talented redhead, conceived by LaRusch, the "Official Lucy Performer" since 1998. The show is based on a series of interviews with Lucy, stories from people who knew her and material from the Lucy and Desi's own autobiographies. 

"An Evening with Lucille Ball" was co-written by Suzanne LaRusch and Lucille Ball’s own daughter Lucie Arnaz.  Arnaz, who was at the show this evening and the guest of honor at a reception at the playhouse Sunday, is an award winning actress who began her acting career on the "Lucy Show" opposite her mother, directs the show as well.  Perhaps it is that very personal connection that gives the show its true heart.

But this isn’t just an ode to America’s favorite redhead—it is a tribute to Desi too.  As Lucy points out during the Q&A, the show may have been called "I Love Lucy", but Desi was always the "I" in the title--the one with top billing. And while remembering Desi, Lucy gives the upbeat show its only misty moments.

For the most part, the two-hour show, with one intermission, is funny, sweet and uplifting.  It is sprinkled with stories about Lucy’s childhood and the road to celebrity.  It is interesting to hear what one of the funniest women on the planet thought was funny and who her comedic role models were.

We all have our own favorite "I Love Lucy" skits (I like when Lucy locks herself in the meat freezer in the basement) and it is a treat to learn the story behind the scenes we’ve come to love over the years.

LaRusch’s voice is uncanny.  She does a remarkable job of matching Lucy’s trademark twang and laugh.  She resembles Lucy with the help of a shock of auburn hair, but if you close your eyes, you would swear you were actually listening to the classic radio program "My Favorite Husband"—the predecessor to the "I Love Lucy" television show.

Stage design is minimal save for a director’s chair, a small table and a prop or two.  Leaving the spotlight directly on Lucy—exactly where it should be. 

"An Evening with Lucille Ball: Thank You for Asking" runs through June 25, Monday through Saturday at 8pm. Matinees are on Wednesdays and the second Thursday at 2pm and the first Saturday at 4pm. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 508-385-3911 or online here. 

The opening show is followed by a roster that is sure to please including "The Graduate" starring Patricia Richardson of "Home Improvement" fame and "Footloose". 

The Cape Playhouse is at 820 Route 6A in Dennis.