Community Players to Present ‘Murder On the Orient Express’

The ensemble of “Murder On the Orient Express” (L to R Back Row: Merle Jobman, Jenny Sutphin, Mark Geist, Dylan Warren, Morgan Fox, Ashley Hothan, Vicki Cain. L to R Front Row: Diane Kahnk, Zoe Tien, Scott Clark.)

Community Players Proudly Present:

Murder on the Orient Express
Adapted by Ken Ludwig from a novel by Agatha Christie

Directed by: Rachele Stoops

Venue: Community Players (412 Ella St, Beatrice, NE)
Show Dates: Feb 10-19, 2023
Showtimes: Fri-Sat at 7:30pm. Sundays at 2pm

Synopsis
On the snowbound Orient Express, an American tycoon lies dead in his locked train compartment. With a killer in their midst, detective Hercule Poirot must expose the murderer before tragedy strikes again! Thrills and laughs abound in Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of this classic mystery by Agatha Christie.

Tickets go on sale Jan 30, 2023 and can be purchased at www.beatricecommunityplayers.com.

Cast
Scott Clark as Hercule Poirot
Merle Jobman as Monsieur Bouc
Morgan Fox as Megan Debenham
Mark Geist as Col. Arbuthnot/Samuel Ratchett
Ashley Hothan as Greta Ohlsson
Diane Kahnk as Princess Dragomiroff
Jenny Sutphin as Countess A’ndrenyi
Zoe Tien as Helen Hubbard
Vicki Cain as Michele
Dylan Warren as MacQueen

Bitter Sweets

Kathleen Combs (L) and Roz Parr (R) star in “The Cake” at Omaha Community Playhouse

A baker getting ready to appear on a competition reality show offers to bake the wedding cake for the daughter of her best friend.  Then she finds out that the daughter is marrying a woman.  Her subsequent reluctance to make the cake and the fallout from that reluctance forms the story of The Cake which is currently playing at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

Inspired by a real-life news story, Bekah Brunstetter’s script has its ups and downs.  I thought the story took a little too long to get where it was going especially with a lengthy opening sequence that could have been much more economical.  But past that point, the story begins to cook as Brunstetter has a real gift for creating authentic people and shines in intimate scenes that ask the hard questions.  Ultimately the story is about acceptance as that is what each character seeks, but it also pursues themes of bigotry, judging others (which flows both ways), family, and seeing things from another’s POV.

Kim Clark-Kaczmarek’s direction adds some serious muscle to the production as her guidance of the intimate scenes truly sing and help to overpower the script’s early shortcomings.  Clark-Kaczmarek imbues a tremendous sense of presence on her performers.  By that I mean, the actors are always aware of themselves on stage and constantly move or animate which prevents the talky script from becoming static.  Her staging is phenomenal as scenes in the bakery use the full space and scenes in the bedroom feel close and snug.  Clark-Kaczmarek has also coached her performers to rock solid performances that will hold your attention and get you thinking.

Although a disembodied voice, Brady Patsy generates some guffaws as the host of the baking competition used in interstitials to reflect Della’s inner feelings and turmoil especially when he starts politely insulting her and cheerfully using vulgarities.  Doug Rothgeb brings a nice everyman quality to Della’s husband, Tim, who is facing his own perceived failings as a man which has tanked his love life with Della.

I was extraordinarily glad to see Roz Parr finally get a role with some serious meat with which to exercise her prodigious talent.  Parr brings an amazing conflicted innocence to the role of Jen.  Jen is always of two minds as she tries to balance her orientation with her upbringing and you can see the strain wrought by this internal tug of war written all over her thanks to Parr’s crystal-clear facial expressions and body language.  Parr gives Jen a powerful selflessness that manages to override her inner struggles until she realizes that a little selfishness is sometimes needed which allows her to voice her truth and wishes.

Delaney Jackson brings some serious depth to the role of Macy.  Macy is one wounded woman.  Clearly, she’s fought emotional battles all of her life due to her race and orientation and this has eroded her sense of trust and nurtured an instinctive tendency to strike first and strike hard.  Jackson’s Macy has no qualms in cutting to the heart of a matter and calling things exactly as she sees them.  But I also found it interesting that she, herself, is guilty of the same judging attitude that she perceives in others.

And in the center of all the chaos is Della, beautifully essayed by Kathleen Combs.  Combs plays Della as the sweet Southern woman who is thrown into a tornado of confusion about baking the cake for Macy and Jen’s wedding.  Interestingly, she never actually says no.  Della’s whole arc is based on her wanting to do the right thing, but not knowing what is the right thing.  Combs wonderfully plays up Della’s confusion and angst as her love for Jen battles her personal belief system, but this forces her to confront her darker aspects and come out with a heightened sense of tolerance.

I can’t explain it, but Sophie Knauss’ set is one of my favorites.  It just had an x factor that gave the bakery a warm, homey feel while the retractable walls with the slide in beds helped transform the spacious bakery into the intimate bedrooms.  The set is further bolstered by Andrew Morgan’s properties as his cakes and signs make the bakery feel so real.  Erica Maholmes’ lights add even more with the warm, welcoming pink of the bakery to the colorful bouncing lights for the game show interstitials.  Jocelyn Reed’s costumes suit the characters perfectly with the overalls and work shirt of Tim to the formal, business-like clothes of the serious as a heart attack Macy to the suitable to her generation dress of Della and the almost childlike, carefree clothing of the innocent Jen.  John Giblisco’s sounds add that extra dash of seasoning especially the fun game show sounds in the interstitials and it’s all wrapped in a subtle, original score written by Stacey Barelos.

The Cake does provide some serious food for thought and asks a lot of hard questions with no easy answers, but its ending provides just the right cherry of hope to show that change and acceptance is possible even if people may not always see eye to eye.

The Cake runs at the Omaha Community Playhouse through Nov 6.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $36 and may be purchased at the OCP Box Office, 6915 Cass St., Omaha, NE 68132, by phone at (402) 553-0800 or online at OmahaPlayhouse.com. Due to strong language and some mature themes, this show is not suitable for children. The Omaha Community Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.

Photo provided by Robertson Photography

“Stick Fly” Up Next at OCP

From L to R: Olivia Howard, Brandon Williams, D Kevin Williams (front), Nina Washington, DJ Tyree, Kara Davidson (front) star in “Stick Fly” at OCP

Omaha, NE– The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) production of Stick Fly will open on Friday, May 6, 2022. The show, directed by DeMone Seraphin, will run in the Howard Drew Theatre through June 5 with performances Thursdays through Sundays. Tickets are on sale now starting at $36 with prices varying by performance. Tickets may be purchased at the OCP Box Office, 6915 Cass St., Omaha, NE 68132, by phone at (402) 553-0800 or online at OmahaPlayhouse.com.

SHOW SYNOPSIS

The LeVays, a wealthy Black family, set out for a relaxing weekend at their second home in Martha’s Vineyard. When brothers Kent and Flip both bring their new girlfriends to meet the family, the newcomers butt heads over everything from class to race to cultural expectations. Sibling rivalries and parental expectations bring their roller coaster weekend to a boiling point in this bitingly funny comedy-drama.

Directed By: DeMone Seraphin

Cast

DJ Tyree as Kent (Spoon)
Olivia Howard as Taylor
Nina Washington as Cheryl
Brandon Williams as Flip
D Kevin Williams as Joe Levay (Dad)
Kara Davidson as Kimber

Photo by Colin Conces Photography

OCP Needs Some Passengers for the Locomotive of Death

Omaha, NE.–The Omaha Community Playhouse (OCP) is holding auditions for the upcoming production of Murder on the Orient Express on Saturday, July 10 at 10:30 a.m. at Revive! Center Omaha, Sunday, July 11 at 1 p.m. at OCP and Monday, July 12 at 1 p.m. at OCP.

Through upholding high ethical standards, demonstrating respect for all and consciously working to provide diverse representation, OCP is committed to creating an inclusive and safe environment in which all community members feel a sense of belonging, and does not discriminate in casting practices on the basis of an individual’s ethnicity, age, gender, physical and cognitive ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, country of origin or other factors. Omaha Community Playhouse is committed to diverse and inclusive casting.

Production: Murder on the Orient Express

Adapted by: Ken Ludwig

Director: Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek

Show Dates: Sept. 17 – Oct. 10, 2021

Omaha Community Playhouse, Hawks Mainstage Theatre

Performances are Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. in the Hawks Mainstage Theatre. Actors are called to the theatre one hour before curtain.

Rehearsals: Begin August 1, 2021

Show Synopsis: A thrilling whodunit set aboard the world’s most famous luxury locomotive, Murder on the Orient Express will keep you guessing until the very end. When the Orient Express becomes stranded by a snowstorm, a passenger is found stabbed to death in his private room. With the murderer still on board, a detective must solve the crime before the train reaches its destination.

Roles: Hercule Poirot – Male identifying, all ethnicities: A famous Belgian

Monsieur Bouc – Male identifying, all ethnicities: A Belgian man

Mary Debenham – Female identifying, all ethnicities: A governess

Hector MacQueen – Male identifying, all ethnicities: Rachett’s personal secretary

Michel and Conductor/Marcel – Male identifying, all ethnicities: one actor will play two roles

Princess Dragomiroff – Female identifying, all ethnicities: A Russian dowager

Greta Ohlsson – Female identifying, all ethnicities: Princess Dragomiroff’s traveling companion

Countess Andrenyi – Female identifying, all ethnicities: A countess through marriage

Helen Hubbard – Female indentifying, all ethnicities: an outspoken and flamboyant American from the Midwest

Colonel Arbutnot – Male identifying, all ethnicities: Scotsman

Samuel Rachett – Male identifying, all ethnicities: middle aged American businessman

Auditions: Those who wish to audition may choose one of the following three audition dates:

§ Saturday, July 10, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Revive Center Omaha, 2402 Lizzie Robinson Ave. (24th & Lake), Omaha, NE. 68111

§ Sunday, July 11, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St, Omaha, NE 68132

§ Monday, July 12, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St, Omaha, NE 68132

Callbacks: Monday, July 19, 7:00 p.m.

Notes: Auditions are by appointment only. Please contact Becky Deiber at bdeiber@omahaplayhouse.com to schedule an audition appointment and request audition paperwork and sides.

Those auditioning will be asked to read from the script provided at auditions.

When arriving to audition at the Playhouse, please enter through the Stage Door entrance on the West side of the building.

Please Bring: All contact information, personal schedules and a list of rehearsal conflicts with which to fill out an audition form. To expedite the check-in process, please bring a recent photo if you have one available. Please note, photos will not be returned.

COVID-19 In accordance with the CDC, if an individual is not vaccinated, they must wear a face mask. If

Protocols: an individual is vaccinated, they can decide whether to wear a face mask or not. All performers are required to be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination will be required upon casting.

Contact: For more information, contact Becky Deiber at bdeiber@omahaplayhouse.com or (402) 553-4890.

OCP Needs Some Sleuths to Solve a Murder

Omaha Community Playhouse Announces Auditions for:

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig

Directed by Anthony Clark-Kaczmarek

Production Dates: Feb. 26–March 21, 2021 | Hawks Mainstage
Rehearsals: Begin Jan. 17, 2021

In-Person, by appointment only Auditions
Sunday, Nov. 29 | 2 p.m. in Dance Studio at OCP (6915 Cass St, Omaha, NE)

To schedule an audition time and to receive paperwork, email Becky Deiber at bdeiber@omahaplayhouse.com

Enter through the Stage Door on the West side of the building. For those auditioning in person: Temperatures of auditioners will be taken upon arrival. Auditioners will be required to wear a facemask. Auditions will be held individually. Callbacks may include small groups. Provided seating will be plastic or metal chairs only, no fabric upholstery. The audition space will be appropriately sanitized. When arriving to audition, please enter through the Stage Door entrance on the West side of the building.

Virtual Auditions via Zoom
Monday, Nov. 30 | 6 p.m.
—Email Becky Deiber at bdeiber@omahaplayhouse.com to schedule a virtual audition via Zoom. Video Submission Auditions being accepted now through Nov 29. You can also submit a vocal audition video to Becky Deiber.

It Slays

When she discovers a Dungeons & Dragons module written by her late sister, Tilly, Agnes Smith decides to play through the game in the hopes that it will help her understand the little sister that she never really knew.  This is She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen and currently playing at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

Nguyen’s script is a refreshing new take on the old idea of a character seeking to come to terms with the loss of a loved one.  The use of a game like D&D is quite inspired as it is a game where a person could easily infuse her or his essence into it and be his or her true self.  Most of the game moments are played up, quite well, for comedy, but a few dramatic revelations are made which then skillfully and smoothly connect with the real world and make Agnes’ growing understanding of her sister quite believable.

Beth Thompson provides a pretty effective piece of direction to this production. Her staging is quite nice making use of the entire stage as well as the aisles of the Howard Drew Theatre.  She demonstrates a thorough understanding of the script by playing up the comedic moments for all they are worth, but knows when to get serious with the more dramatic moments of the story.  The acting of her performers is quite capable with a pair of stirring performances in the form of her two leading characters.

I think this play is one of the friendliest to character actors I’ve ever seen as it provides a lot of fun characters for a performer to sink his or her teeth into.  Some of the night’s most rib-tickling performances come from Kevin Gosford who had the crowd guffawing with his take on Orcus, a lazy and retired overlord of the underworld who’d rather watch TV than take souls and fight heroes; Carrie Beth Stickrod who provides laugh out loud moments as a foul mouthed, ineffective guidance counselor and a malevolent fairy guarding the five headed dragon, Tiamatt; and Will Rodgers as the hapless Steve who routinely gets brutalized in the world of D&D and pushed around by Ms Stickrod’s guidance counselor in the real world.

But this play does rest on the shoulders of the two actors playing Tilly and Agnes and Chloe Irwin and Catie Zaleski are more than up to the task of carrying that burden.  The two performers have a symbiotic chemistry with each other and truly feel like real sisters.

Ms Irwin dominates the show with a compelling performance as Tilly.  Indeed, she has a poise, presence, and naturalness to her acting that many experienced veterans would envy.  She definitely nails the essence of the little sister by being a constant pain to Agnes and even peppering her with the insults one would expect from a younger sibling.  It is clear that D&D is the only place where she ever felt free as her alter-ego of Tillious is brave and confident and is able to indulge in real life fantasies or deal with the difficulties of growing up.  Some of her best moments come when Tilly drops the façade of Tillious to be completely open and honest with Agnes about herself and their relationship.

Catie Zaleski is rock solid as Agnes.  She expertly presents an ordinary person who discovers life as she really learns about her sister through the playing of her module.  Her transformation from a disinterested player to a full blown participant is played out well as she slowly peels off the layers of her resistance to the game and, symbolically, her sister.  It’s also quite humorous how heavily she gets into the game as it is implied she is playing out both sides of the conversation with her sister which makes some of the insults she receives such as having her avatar be called Agnes the Asshatted even funnier.

Ms Zaleski handles the comedy of the piece quite well, especially as she gets raked over the coals in the early playing of the game.  But she also handles the drama equally well as she discovers some of her sister’s secrets and how that begins to affect her real life.

Shannon Smay has composed an awesome score for this show with ominous music well suited for a playing of D&D.  Christopher Dills’ set brilliantly merges the messy bedroom of Tilly (further enhanced by the props of Darin Kuehler and Carrie Velez) with the guidance counselor’s office and a spiral staircase at center stage is a nice touch for introducing characters.  Darren Golden’s lights enhance the piece with atmospheric lighting for bright forests and deep, dank caves and other locales in New Landia.  John Giblilsco provides some A level sounds and Amy Elizabeth Schweid provides some amusing fight choreography for the big battle sequences.  But she also provides some truly realistic blows in quick skirmishes, such as a backhand delivered to Agnes with such ferocity it drew an audible gasp from me.

Extreme praise is due to Amanda Fehlner for an extraordinary piece of costume design for this production.  Her costuming is pitch perfect for the piece including the Xenaesque outfit worn by Tillious, the red, furry, demonic bodysuit for Orcus, and the bugbear outfits, just to name a few.

There were a few minor blips in the show.  Energy seemed a bit low, volume needed stepping up from some actors, and the pace could be quickened, but these did little to dampen an original night of theatre.

It may be a tried and true formula, but this is the most original take on a journey of discovery that you’re ever likely to see.

She Kills Monsters plays at the Omaha Community Playhouse through Nov 4.  Performances are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets begin at $30 for adults and $18 for students.  For tickets visit www.omahaplayhouse.com or call the box office at 402-553-0800.  Due to some strong language and sensitive themes, this play is not recommended for young children.  The Omaha Community Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.

“She Kills Monsters” Opening at OCP

Omaha, Neb.–She Kills Monsters is opening this week at the Omaha Community Playhouse. The show will run in the Howard Drew Theatre from Friday, October 12 through Sunday, November 4, 2018.

Thrilling audiences with equal parts costume and combat, She Kills Monsters is a coming-of-age dramatic comedy play riddled with 90s pop culture and all things Dungeons & Dragons. Agnes Evans finds a notebook left behind by her deceased younger
sister containing a game scenario for the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons. As Agnes delves into the world of D&D, she comes to discover more about the sister she often misunderstood.
Tickets for She Kills Monsters are available at OmahaPlayhouse.com or through the Omaha Community Playhouse box office by calling (402) 553-0800 or visiting 6915 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132. For more information, please visit www.omahaplayhouse.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Women’s Stage Combat Workshop
The Omaha Community Playhouse will hold a special Women’s Stage Combat Workshop to celebrate the opening of She Kills Monsters. This women-only workshop will be held on Sunday, October 14 at 12:30 p.m. at the Omaha Community Playhouse and will be taught by Amy Elizabeth Schweid—fight choreographer for She Kills Monsters.

Participants are encouraged to stick around after the workshop for the 2 p.m. matinee performance of She Kills Monsters. Cost for the workshop is $15 and includes a drink ticket. Costumes are encouraged, but not required, for this female empowerment
workshop. Register at https://tinyurl.com/ocpworkshop.

Production: She Kills Monsters
Production Dates: October 12 through November 4 in the Howard Drew Theatre
Show Times: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2:00 p.m. Sundays
Tickets: Tickets starting at $30 for adults and $18 for students; Prices may vary by performance.  Tickets may be purchased at the Omaha Community Playhouse box office at 6915 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132, by phone at (402) 553-0800 or online at OmahaPlayhouse.com.
Written By: Qui Nguyen
Director: Beth Thompson

Cast

Catie Zaleski – Agnes
Chloe Irwin – Tilly
Kaitlin Maher – Narrator
Thomas Gjere – Miles
Riley Perez – Lilly
Jaiden Lindsey – Kaliope
Brendan Brown – Chuck
Kevin Goshorn – Ocrus
Carrie Beth Stickrod – Vera/Farrah
Ava Burk – Evil Tina
Amanda Overfield – Evil Gabbi
Will Rodgers – Steve
Jake Parker – Monster Ensemble
Ben Battafarano – Monster Ensemble

 

‘Superior Donuts’ Has No Holes

Arthur Przybyszewski has given up on life.  The aging hippie works his family’s 60+ year old donut shop whenever he feels like opening it, mourns the recent death of his ex-wife, and is estranged from his daughter.  Then Franco Wicks enters the picture.  This ebullient, confident young man takes a job as Arthur’s assistant and slowly helps him rediscover the joy of living.  When demons from Franco’s past return to stalk him, will Arthur help his new friend or run away again?  Find out by watching Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts, currently playing at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

Prior to tonight’s production, I had never seen a Tracy Letts play.  Now I’d like to see more of them.  Letts has a genuine gift for dialogue, skillfully blending comedy and drama, and a real knack for character development as every role from supernumerary to lead has a story arc that gives each a chance to shine.  It also didn’t hurt that he also happens to tell a great story with Superior Donuts.

Susie Baer-Collins returns to the Omaha Playhouse to direct this production and brought her A game to the table.  She nimbly fleshed out all of the individual story arcs and led her actors to strong performances, deftly guiding them from comedy to drama and back again.

As stated earlier, Letts has created a nice little microcosm which is a dream for character actors as each role has its wonderful little quirks.  Some sterling performances include Mary Kelly as an alcoholic street lady with a major sugar addiction and wisdom that either defies or results from the fact that she doesn’t live in the greater construct called reality; Devel Crisp as a dedicated and Trekkie police officer; Mark Thornburg as a gregarious Russian businessman hoping to buy Arthur’s donut shop; and Julie Fitzgerald Ryan as the cop with a crush on Arthur.

My socks were knocked off by the performance of Jeremy Estill as Luther Flynn.  Making his Playhouse debut, Estill brought an incredible sincerity and a palpable sense of danger to the neighborhood loan shark.  You really believe him when he says he doesn’t want to rough up Franco who is having difficulty repaying his sizable debt, but you also don’t doubt him when he promises harm to Franco if he can’t come up with the cash.  Estill’s well chosen gestures wonderfully animate Flynn and made him one of the night’s treats.

Aaron Winston has a stellar Playhouse debut as Franco Wicks.  Winston brings a real joie de vivre to Franco who has a lot of wild ideas for updating and upgrading the hole in a wall donut shop such as adding music, holding literary events, and upselling pastries.  Winston’s Franco eats life with shining teeth and is such a dreamer that Arthur (and the audience) can’t help but be buoyed by his enthusiasm and energy.  That infectious energy works just as well in Wicks’ more dramatic scenes as you’ll crash with Franco as he pays an awful price for his failure to repay Luther Flynn.

It is an excellent performance, but I would recommend that Winston pick up the pace a bit as it will add some more zing to his fine work.

Kevin Barratt’s work as Arthur Przybyszewski is a tour de force.  He begins the play as an utterly defeated man going through the motions of life.  He barely talks, shows little emotion, and seems resigned to the fact that his life has derailed.  When Franco’s zest begins to rub off on him, you see Arthur begin to lighten up and start rediscovering the joys of life.  He becomes more animated, has fun, and dances badly.  But Barratt’s best moments occur during his numerous monologues as he recounts his life up to the present moment and you really feel the joy of his childhood, the regret of his teens when he makes a cowardly choice, and the pain of watching his family disintegrate.  And it is through those stories that you’ll understand why he takes the steps he does to help Franco at the show’s climax.

I was rather impressed with Matthew D. Hamel’s set.  It has the perfect look of a hole in the wall donut shop from its aged racks, to its ancient cash register, to the old, but functioning Superior Donuts sign.  John Gibilisco’s sound strongly supported the story and Lindsey Pape’s costumes were an excellent fit (no pun intended) for the characters.

The pacing and cue pickups needed a bit of tightening, but it truly was a pleasant night of theatre with a show that has a lot of heart and soul and teaches the importance of friendship and simply being alive.

Superior Donuts plays at the Omaha Playhouse through June 4.  Performances are Thurs-Sat at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets cost $36 for adults and $22 for students.  For tickets, contact the Playhouse at 402-553-0800 or visit www.omahaplayhouse.com or www.ticketomaha.com.  Due to strong language, the play is not recommended for children.  The Omaha Community Playhouse is located at 6915 Cass St in Omaha, NE.

War for the Heart, War in the Soul

It’s a twist on the love triangle when John takes a break from his boyfriend only to fall for a girl.  Now forced to decide between the two, John finds himself in the middle of a vicious, emotional cockfight between the two loves in his life.  This is Cock by Mike Bartlett and currently playing at SNAP! Productions.

I confess to being a little taken aback when I was asked to review a show with such a title as many connotations of the word flew through my mind.  And, yes, this play does utilize multiple definitions of the play’s title from the innocent to the vulgar.  More importantly, this show is also one of the season’s best.

Mike Bartlett has written a whip smart script with dialogue that surges with intensity and compelling characters.  Bartlett leaps straight into the action with little build, but manages to fill in the gaps as he rapidly moves John between his boyfriend and girlfriend until the inevitable confrontation between his two significant others.

Without question, Joshua Mullady’s direction is the finest I have seen this season.  Mullady displayed an intimate understanding of the script with brilliant staging.  Not only is there not a single static moment in the show, but Mullady uses the play’s words to establish the movements of the characters.  As they grow apart, they physically move further from each other.  As they grow closer, they literally move closer and show intimacy.  Mullady has also perfectly cast this show with 4 actors who have pitch perfect chemistry and give nearly flawless performances.  Mullady also designed the beautifully simplistic lights which pulsed with a life of their own as they shifted with the beats of the show.

Joseph Schoborg’s portrayal of John is as haunting as it is powerful.  Schoborg’s John is a complete train wreck of a human being as he struggles to determine who and what it is he wants.  Schoborg’s body language is deadly accurate.  With his failing relationship with his boyfriend, he is stiff-necked with his shoulders up in his ears.  With his burgeoning relationship with his girlfriend, he is relaxed, loose, and tender.  Schoborg also has an incredibly nuanced voice capable of capturing deep frustration and running the gamut to whispering sadness.  The only tiny issues were that Schoborg spoke too quickly at the top of the show and I lost some of his dialogue, but he brought that under control as the play continued.  He also needed to keep his vocal strength up as it was just a hair below where it needed to be.

I was blown away by Eric Grant-Leanna’s interpretation of the nameless boyfriend.  Grant-Leanna gives what may be his best performance with a character he has developed down to the minutest detail.  As M, Grant-Leanna misses no beat as he bounces from lightly teasing John about his lousy cooking, to intense arguments about John’s cheating with a woman, to delivering nasty verbal jabs to the other woman, to nearly begging John to stay with him.  Grant-Leanna’s always spot-on facial expressions greatly added to his brilliant line readings which he enhanced even further with always appropriate gestures.

I was absolutely gobsmacked with Caitlin Staeball’s work as the unnamed girlfriend.  At the show’s start, she sat with the audience watching and reacting to the byplay between John and M.  Jealousy was quite apparent as she glowered at M.  Ms Staeball beautifully maneuvered through the ebbs and flows of her character’s story arc with clear and clean delivery and sure understanding of where she was heading.  Most telling was a scene where she sleeps with John for the first time.  Using just the power of her voice along with Mullady’s stellar lighting, she paints a vivid picture of what is happening without either performer actually doing anything physically.  Her subtle emotional manipulation of John in the climactic confrontation was also a nice piece of character work.  I look forward to seeing Ms Staeball in other roles after this fantastic Omaha debut.

Brent Spencer is very capable in his role as M’s father.  His British accent needed a bit of work, but his interpretation was quite good.  As F, Spencer is clearly devoted to his son and cares a great deal about John as he is quite hurt that John wants to leave his son for a woman.  Spencer also was responsible for some of the night’s more humorous moments as he jousts with John’s girlfriend.

What I found most interesting about the show was that it was not about whether John was gay, straight, or bisexual.  The show’s true tragedy was that John had lost himself.  He didn’t know what he needed in order to be happy and was fearful to take the risk of finding out for himself.  That is a message that will echo profoundly in every person who watches this wonderful dramedy.

Cock plays at SNAP! Productions through March 27.  Showtimes are Thurs-Sat at 8pm and Sundays at 6pm.  Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for students, seniors, T.A.G. members, and the military.  Thursday night shows cost $10.  This show contains adult situations and extremely strong language and is not suitable for children.  SNAP! Productions is located at 3225 California St in Omaha, NE.

“Yankee Tavern” to Open Circle Theatre’s Season

The Circle Theatre Presents:

Yankee Tavern by Steve Dietz

​Ever wonder what REALLY happened on 9/11?  Well, just when you thought you’d heard every crazy conspiracy theory imaginable, a mysterious stranger walks into the Yankee Tavern in New York City and nothing is ever the same…for anybody.  Yankee Tavern is a fiercely funny play that will keep you guessing long after you’ve left the theatre.

Dates:  October 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31

Showtime:  8pm

Tickets:  $15 for adults.  $13 for seniors.  $10 for students, active military, and T.A.G. members.  Contact dlmarr@cox.net or 402-553-4715 for reservations.

Location:  First United Methodist Church (7020 Cass St in Omaha, NE)