PALM CANYON THEATRE STAGES EDWARD ALBEE’S ICONIC PLAY “WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF”

Richard Marlow, Phylicia Mason, Yo Younger and Sean Timothy Brown
star in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" at the Palm
Canyon Theatre. All photos by Paul Hayashi.

The beauty of theatre, as opposed to film, lies in its ability to present to its audiences a fresh approach to each and every performance night and after night. No two performances are ever the same. As the enjoyment of the stage genre grows and matures the more the actors and artists ramp up their performance magic.

Film is a different medium. It’s a cousin of the theatre in that it’s also a creative, artistic, and a powerful art form. But it doesn’t have the ability to ‘breathe’, or to be continually in the moment. Unlike the stage, film is frozen warts and all, in a celluloid time capsule. If the movie misses the mark for its audiences there is no changing a flaw or incorporating the director’s new input for tomorrow screenings.

The Palm Canyon Theatre (PCT) is presenting a four performance only production of Edward Albee’s iconic, Tony Award-winning play “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”, directed by Michael Pacas, that stars Yo Younger as Martha, Richard Marlow as George, Phylicia Mason as Honey and Sean Timothy Brown as Nick.

Albee is a three time Pulitzer winning playwright, considered to be one of the five most influential American playwrights of the twentieth century along with Eugene O’Neill, Arthur Miller, August Wilson, and Tennessee Williams. Pretty heady company. All of whom are installed the Pantheon of American literature.

Of the five playwrights Albee is the most controversial and the most theatrically provocative. His stories are designed to force the audience to reexamine their previously held tenets. “All my plays are about people missing the boat, closing down too young, coming to the end of their lives with regret at things not done, as opposed to things done” adding, “I find most people spend too much time living as if they’re never going to die.” he opined in a 1991 New York Times interview.

In another interview with “The Guardian” newspaper in 2004 Albee stated “the job of the writer is to hold up a mirror to people” echoing with a twist, the philosophy of fellow playwright and author Bertolt Brecht, who forcefully penned the quote, “Art is not just a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it.”

Albee has certainly hammered his offbeat subject matter material over the years, with such plays as: “Zoo Story”, the enigmatic “Tiny Alice, whom many said was too confusing to understand, and “The Goat, or who is Sylvia?” his most provocative and controversial play about love, marriage and sexual mores. And of course, his masterpiece and crown jewel in his canon “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”, which I saw last week at The Palm Canyon Theatre; who are best known for their highly successful musical theatre productions.

Richard Marlow and Yo Younger are George and Martha
in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

Albee’s scabrous play centers around a middle aged married couple, George and Martha whose vitriolic verbal battles are defined by hyperbolic bitter exchanges, which underlies what seems like an emotional dependence upon each other. Their verbal abuse toward one another is fueled by an excessive consumption of nature’s truth serum – alcohol.

The story in short, revolves around George (Richard Marlow in a finely judged nuanced star turn) and Martha (played by Yo Younger in a tour de force performance, who recently nabbed two acting trophies at the Desert Theatre League Desert Stars Awards) both of whom should be in therapy but aren’t. George an associate History professor in New Carthage University where Martha’s father is the President adds spice and irony, and an extra dimension to their “no holds barred” vituperative relationship, where in truth, each needs the other.

Late one Saturday evening after a faculty mixer Martha invites Nick an ambitious young Biology professor and hunk (played by Sean Timothy Brown) who is new to the university and his timid wife Honey (Phylicia Mason) over for a nightcap. As the evening progresses, Nick and Honey, George and Martha all of whom have consumed more alcohol than the law legally allows to drive a car, get caught up in George and Martha’s ‘games’ of needing to hurt each other and everyone around them.

Yo Younger, Sean Timothy Brown and Richard Marlow
in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

The ultimate abuse comes in the form of dialogue regarding George and Martha’s unseen sixteen year-old son whose birthday is the following day. The story and plot is well known to the world, thanks to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s tempestuous “private lifestyle” that went public; mimicking the play’s characters in the eponymous movie of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”, starring Burton and Taylor.

But no additional spoiler alerts here. Besides, the audience is seeing the play through the staging lenses of director Michael Pacas, who pretty much hews to Albee’s original dialogue along with some twists of his own. For example, Pacas has divided Albee’s original three act play into two acts without altering Albee’s dramatic intention. The PCT production is a visceral snapshot of one couples’ version of domesticity.

In the technical department PCT’s solid creative team led by director Pacas includes: Scenic Designer Kirsten Cunningham, Lighting Designer J.W. Layne, and Costume Designer Derik Shopinski.

The best way to sum up this high energy play of American domesticity is to borrow a line from the 1950 Academy Award winning 20th Century Fox movie “All About Eve”, where Bette Davis utters the now classic line to her party guests, “Fasten your seat belts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.” What a delicious understatement!

“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”, is an impressive production that performs at the Palm Canyon Theatre in Palms Springs, and runs through October 21st. Call the box office for ticket information at 760-323-5123

INSIGHTFUL DRAMEDY “THE CAKE” IS TASTY AND SHINES AT LA’S GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE

Debra Jo Rupp stars as small town baker at the center of a legal hurricane
in The Cake at The Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, CA.
All photos by Chris Whitaker.

Strong writing and a compelling plot line plus a talented cast of professionals adds up to wining over even the toughest of audiences when it comes to accepting and embracing the new realities in the ever-changing and evolving 21st century American theatrical landscape.

Plays, movies, and TV shows today are not the entertainment fare remembered by our grandparents.  A new century opened up opportunities to explore creative ideas and concepts in all the art forms.

Contrary to the admonitions of George Bernard Shaw, who in the 20th century, penned the witty quip, “It’s a pity that youth is wasted on the young” was not as prescient as he thought he was.  Every age requires that the torches be passed forward. It’s in the natural order of things. The old accedes to the young. The writers, playwrights and creative artist-ranks of today, are filled with bright, talented and intellectual practitioners hungry for venues to present their work. The Geffen is one the venues that is willing to explore and work with these emerging playwrights.

Case in point: the current production of “The Cake” now on stage at the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, CA. The story is loosely drawn from an incident that occurred in Colorado in 2012. A same-sex male couple walked into a bakery shop and requested a wedding cake for their impending marriage. The male baker refused to create the cake claiming his religious tenets as the reason for his refusal.  That 2012 legal tussle is finally bound for the Supreme Court in 2019.

Carolyn Ratteray (top) and Shannon Lucio (bottom)

stars of The Cake at the Geffen Playhouse

The story, that playwright Bekah Brunstetter intelligently crafts and Jennifer Chambers deftly directs, revolves around Jen (Shannon Lucio) who lives in New York but has always dreamed of getting married in her rural North Carolina hometown.  So she heads down south with her partner Macy (Carolyn Ratteray) to ask Della (Debra Jo Rupp), her late mother’s best friend, to do the honor of creating a wedding cake from her well known bakery.

Della’s cakes are legendary, even earning her a spot as a contestant on the TV show the “Great American Baking Show”, voiced and hosted, but not seen, by George (Morrison Kedde).  Della is thrilled at Jen’s request, until she realizes there’s not just one bride, but two, forcing Della to re-examine some of her deeply-held beliefs, as well as her own relationship and marriage with her husband Tim (Rod  McLachian).  Faith, family, and traditions are on a collision course in this achingly poignant and insightful written and performed comedy-drama.

Often thorny societal issues, like same-sex marriage, are easier to understand and embrace, for some, when comedy is the vehicle of delivery to an audience. The underlying message of empathy and acceptance by the characters also become easier for the audience to relate to in this era of diversity casting and gender-bending character roles.

There are four finely judged performances – both dramatic and comedic - that shine in this production. Ms. Rupp is a canny show business veteran who knows how to reach and please an audience with comedy timing that cannot be taught.   Either one has it or one doesn’t.  Ms. Rupp definitely has it.  And she has her dramatic side as well in her scenes with Mr. McLachian, who renders a gruff veneer at times, but is a devoted husband.

Rod McLachlan and Debra Jo Rupp in The Cake

at the Geffen Playhouse

Ms. Ratteray’s character Macy is not only riveting to watch but is a study in taking the stage and knowing what to do when upon it.  She has a 5000 watt smile that lights up a room (the same smile I saw when she performed in “Pygmalion” with Bruce Turk at the Pasadena Playhouse a few years ago.

The performances of Ms. Ratteray and Ms. Lucio as Jen, are gold standard performing moments.  Their on-stage chemistry is palpable. One can feel Jen’s insecurities and emotional pain of not being able to ‘come out’ to her mother before she died, plus the disappointment of Della’s decision to not bake Macy and Jen’s wedding cake, all of which strains their relationship as well.

With Macy’s strength and Jen’s desire we root for these two young women to succeed in their life journey together.  Ms. Chambers’ creative directorial touches are everywhere and they are seamless in execution. One of the best compliments a director can receive is that their presence was absent. But Ms. Chambers was not missing in the ‘love scenes’ between Ms. Lucio and Ms. Ratteray.  Her inputs are not gratuitous; they’re tastefully performed without losing any of its impact.

The beauty of this excellent production lies in the full blown honest, authentic, and appealing characters created by Ms. Brunstetter, along with the smart direction of Ms. Chambers that avoids the traps of clichés and the usual cardboard memes and tropes associated with same-sex character stories.

The technical creative team led by director Chambers includes Scenic Designer Hickok who nicely creates three distinct performing areas: two bedroom areas and the main bakery shop space. All areas are lighted by Lighting Designer Pablo Santiago, with Costumes designed by Elizabeth Caitlin Ward, and the Sound Design by Jeff Gardner, complete the creative team.

“The Cake” is a splendid production that performs at the Geffen Playhouse and runs through October 21, 2018. Don't Miss It!

-- Jack Lyons