With all of London anguished by fear that Hitler’s war will soon reach their city, atheist physician Sigmund Freud invites Oxford professor C.S. Lewis into his study for a lively debate, addressing questions like: Does God exist? Do humans possess an innate moral conscience? How can a believer adequately explain the quandaries of war, pain, sickness, and death?

Such is the opening scene of Mark St. Germain’s production, Freud’s Last Session; with performances scheduled at Washington DC’s Jewish Community Center Theater J through July 6. The 80-minute play features just two actors and one set; the parquet wood-floored study of Freud, adorned with a carefully arranged bookshelf, floor to ceiling drapes, and an examination couch — which becomes an object of jest throughout.

While an entertaining interplay of opposing worldviews, the lack of an organic exchange of ideas can make the sequences seem too contrived at times — particularly for those familiar with C.S. Lewis’ and Freud’s canon of work, from which their debate heavily draws.

Rick Foucheux’s admirable portrayal of Freud stands out, with the psychoanalyst’s constant questioning halted only by the painful, oral cancer-induced coughing fits that leave him with a bloody rag in his hands; yet nonetheless determined to proceed in defense of all things proven by facts, logic, and empirical observations. He calls Darwin a personal “saint” and derides C.S. Lewis — a hailed scholar and one-time atheist — for being swept up in the “fairytale” of religion.

For his part, Todd Scofield, playing the part of Lewis, deftly calls out the seeming contradictions in Foucheux’s rigid opposition to religious belief; among them the assemblage of religious artifacts carefully arranged on Freud’s desk, as well as the physician’s own admission that he drew comfort from reading the Christian-themed epic, Paradise Lost.

Still, it’s hard not to notice Lewis’ character as the less dynamic of the pair; stiffer both in movement and in speech. As an admirer of the famed literary scholar and member of the Oxford writing group the Inklings, of which J.R.R. Tolkien was also a part, I felt Lewis’ role seemed too defensive and less reliant on the wit and confidence that compelled the 20th century writer to produce a swath of heavily praised Christian writings and apologia.

There were other details from Lewis’ own life that seemed appropriate to introduce, yet were not discussed in the play; among them the fact that his mother — Flora Hamilton Lewis — suffered her own fatal bout of cancer, an experience believed to influence C.S. Lewis’ later conversion. While Lewis does surmise that Freud’s declining health could be leading him to reconsider a belief in God, perhaps in light of his mortality, the close-to-heart experience from Lewis’ childhood was never mentioned.

It’s the painful cancer that seems to drive a wedge deeper in Freud’s resistance to Lewis’ claims that moral consciousness and religious belief are inclinations inscribed on the human heart from birth.

“Is killing me God’s revenge?” asks an exasperated Freud, to which C.S. Lewis confesses, “I do not know.”

For Freud, all circumstance, all decision-making, all belief, can be explained through a logical interpretation of one’s own life experiences. In the case of Lewis, Freud explains away the Oxford writer’s flight to Christianity as a desperate attempt to resolve adolescent “daddy issues,” since Lewis was never close to his biological father from birth.

Another of Freud’s notable lines in the play illustrates this point: “Religion has made the world his nursery.” The pronoun his emphasizes another contention of Freud’s; that religion is an oppressive tool of patriarchal institutions determined to wield power.

Despite the spirited opposition, Lewis does continue to nudge Freud nearer to agnosticism. After sharing a story about a time he spent sick in the hospital, aided by a diminutive man, Freud suggests that there has never been a better joke than that — “an eminent intellectual, saved by a dwarf,” to which Lewis replies, “If it was a joke, who made it?”

But in a play focused on speech and debate, it was an unspoken act that seemed to speak the loudest, and in effect, draw the two men closer than any words they shared. Throughout the play, as Freud was repeatedly interrupted by writhing pain, he tells Lewis that his daughter Anna is the only person he entrusts to remove his mouthpiece and clean it to help assuage the pain.

But as the cancer becomes too much to bear, Lewis steps in, helps the suffering man to his desk chair and proceeds to remove the prostheses. While the play ends relatively unceremoniously — with a simple shake of the hands — it’s hard not to think that exchange trumped the rest.

Cast

• Freud: Rick Foucheux
• C.S. Lewis: Todd Scofield

Disclaimer: Theater J provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Over the last fifty years, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, has endeared itself to the hearts of many for its deft portrayal of racial tensions in the rural south, and for the virtue of its characters, namely the “color-blind” lawyer, Atticus Finch. Christopher Sergel’s stage adaptation of the novel retells the story of the Finch’s, an Alabama family somewhat ostracized for their involvement in the trial of an accused black man, Tom Robinson. Told mostly through the experiences of the two Finch children, Jem and Scout, To Kill a Mockingbird inspires its audience to reflect on racial injustices of the past, and to cast away pride in pursuit of what is right and just.

Located west of the beltway in Fauquier County, Fauquier Community Theatre enters its 35th season in 2012-2013. Since the mid-1990′s, FCT shows have been held at Vint Hill Theater in Warrenton, VA, formerly a movie theatre for the now defunct Army base. The converted space is a charming venue to see a production and a reminder of the unique locality of community theater. To Kill a Mockingbird marks the third of five shows in its current season.

Although several cast members are children, the program cautions some of the language and themes in To Kill a Mockingbird might be too mature for a younger audience. The warning is issued mostly because of the character’s use of racial slurs, also present in the book. The plot also centers around the framed accusation of a black man accused of raping a white woman of Macomb’s lower-class. While the play promises enjoyment for its adult audience, especially those familiar with Lee’s acclaimed novel, I echo the cautionary sentiments and advise leaving the kids at home.

The play begins with an introduction to Macomb, Alabama, a rural Alabama town rife with Depression-era poverty, neighborhood gossip, and racial division. We are first introduced to “Miss Maudie” Atkinson, played by Teena Stevic in this production. Stevic mostly succeeds in depicting her role as the Finch’s friendly neighbor, who frequently expresses sympathy for the Finch’s, especially the often derided, Atticus Finch. Perhaps the only pitfall to Stevic’s portrayal of the character is her southern accent, which can sound contrived at times.

We then meet Scout, her role captured by Maria Luetkemeyer. Although Scout’s character is written as six-years-old when the play begins, Luetkemeyer is noticeably older than the play prescribes. The older casting blurs the relationship slightly between Scout and Jem, played by Michael D’Arcangelis. Jem is supposed to be four years older than his sister. This discrepancy is lessened by Luetkemeyer’s success in portraying Scout’s naïvety and zealous curiosity. Scout’s tomboy personality appropriately supposes a desire to be included and accepted by Jem, a character who maintains boyish interests in football, guns, and throwing rocks at the weather-beaten home of the fabled Boo Radley.

The play’s two stars, in my opinion, were Jim Constable and Evan Jones, playing the roles of Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell, respectively.

Constable, who takes up the role of Atticus Finch after a 30-year hiatus from theater, skillfully portrayed Finch’s admirable character, typified by his fearless defense of Tom Robinson, whose innocence he fights to protect despite popular opposition and threats to his life. With equal adroitness, Constable shows Atticus’ extreme humility and portrays the more subtle virtues in Finch’s character, such as the loving patience he shows his children, who, for superficial reasons, under-appreciate their father throughout much of the play.

Playing the villain and Tom Robinson’s accuser, Evan Jones represents the very picture of Bob Ewell’s character I had in my head while reading the book. His comfort with the role is most noticeable in the courtroom scenes where Ewell’s petulant defiance manifests repeatedly through a series of grumbled outbursts aimed at Atticus Finch, who remains bent on exposing Ewell as a shamed liar, and drunken abuser.

Great casting is aided by talented costume design, led by Susan Noé. Likely drawing some inspiration from the acclaimed 1962 film version of the play, Ewell is dressed in baggy denim overalls and a plaid shirt, a costume appropriately matching the character’s rough-and-tumble persona. Atticus dons a respectable courtroom suit throughout the play and Jem’s mud-splattered jeans foretell his character’s hijinks. Others will enjoy the recognizably southern-style dresses worn by Maudie and Miss Stephanie, the neighborhood gossip girl.

The relatively simple and open set design proved effective when transitioning from the Finch’s neighborhood street to the courtroom scenes. The courtroom is smartly arranged so the off-stage audience sits in position of the courtroom jury, with Atticus and the prosecuting attorney, Mr. Gilmer, played by Martin Gacioppo, directing their comments to a complicit audience.

The appearance of a weather-beaten door and poorly maintained shrubbery outside the Radley house, home of an intriguing recluse who makes one pivotal appearance in the play, creates some–not all–of the mystique familiar in the novel. Window planters, and well juxtaposed color on the homes of the Finch neighbors bring warmth to the set and strengthen the impression you are looking out at a familiar scene in the middle-class, southern neighborhood.

Any lover of Harper Lee’s story, heralded as a quintessential American novel and taught in classrooms nationwide, will enjoy this production. Those less familiar with the novel will still enjoy superb individual acting and an inviting set that bring to life a remarkable tale, lauded for its humanism and high morals.

Photo Gallery

Photos provided by Fauquier Community Theatre

Disclaimer: Fauquier Community Theatre provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman’s You Can’t Take It With You presents a charmingly relatable struggle between the warmhearted, yet eccentric Sycamore family, and the wealthy, but far less animated Kirbys. At the center of the families’ failed attempts to relate to one another, is the transcendent romance shared by Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby. It was fun to observe playful criticism of everyday American gripes, such as work, taxes, and an “overzealous” government in the play, but what made the production particularly fun to watch was the collective weight of its characters, each playing a role in first ostracizing the rigid Kirbys, and then winning them over.

A popular run in community theater circuits, You Can’t Take It With You was chosen by the Providence Players of Fairfax (PPF) as the opening production for their 15th season, and marked a return to the company’s first and only production during their 1998 inaugural year. The cast seemed to possess a level of comfort and continuity in their roles, with several leads having been a part of the 1998 performance. With few exceptions, the cast brought great energy to each scene and elicited laughter at the right moments throughout the evening. A vibrant and intricately detailed set further enhanced my impressions of PPF’s strong début.

The First Act began by introducing Penny Sycamore, a middle-aged woman with a multitude of odd hobbies, but little real talent. Mrs. Sycamore’s role was played by Sarah Evans Bennett, who succeeded in conveying Sycamore’s aloofness and pleasure in pinning the stuffy Kirbys in uncomfortable moments throughout the play. Bennett displayed a noticeable comfort level with the role, having played Mrs. Sycamore previously in PPF’s 1998 production.

Next we met Penny’s live-in adult daughter, Essie Carmichael. The first thing I noticed about Carmichael’s character, played by Andra Whitt, was her striking resemblance to actress Kristen Schaal (who plays “Hazel Whassername” in 30 Rock, and “Mel” in Flight of the Conchords). Not only is the appearance of the two uncanny, but Whitt seemed to effectively channel Schaal’s awkward and ditsy humor, perfect for the role of Essie Carmichael, who is as clueless as her mother in her lack of artistic talent which she painfully attempts to manifest in dance.

The romantic relationship between Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby, played by Katie Brown and Christopher Schwartz, respectively, featured two characters with strong individual performances, but there seemed to be something slightly missing in the chemistry between the two. Perhaps augmented by the fact that Sycamore sought to end their engagement at several points out of fear their families couldn’t coexist, their love just didn’t seem overly tenable.

Mr. Kirby, a Wall Street businessman and father of Alice Sycamore’s suitor in the play, was well cast, with Patrick David taking up the role. David succeeded especially in presenting Mr. Kirby as someone with depth and humor, although dominated by propriety and business sense. This capturing of a rather nuanced personality becomes important when Kirby ultimately relents from his stubbornness and stifled behavior.

Apart from the cast, which included a number of other prominent roles, the stage crew more than held their own in making this production a successful début for PPF’s 15th season.

During an interview earlier this week, Director Chip Gertzog said to look forward to a great set. I was excited to see what they would do to recreate the home of Martin Vanderhof, referred to by all members of the Sycamore family as “Grandpa.” Set Designer John Coscia — who also performed admirably as Martin Vanderhof in the play — not only creatively portrayed a 1930′s home, but in the home’s crowded array of furniture and “knick-knacks,” served to mirror the color and variety of the various members of the Sycamore family who made the house a backdrop for their wide-ranging behavior.

Director’s Note

My gosh, was it really fifteen years ago that this community theater adventure we call The Providence Players started, on an elementary school gym stage, with a production of You Can’t Take it With you? I can still hear the very first time John Coscia pronounced, “Well, sir, you should have been there.” Forty theater productions, and fifteen years later, it is an honor to be directing such a wonderful cast in such a fabulous play to open our 15th Anniversary Season!

As the Vanderhoff/Sycamore household, the PPF home, for me, has been an endless source of inspiration, creativity, acceptance, growth, and, above all else, enduring friendship and love. Where else, but in this home, could a complete theater neophyte learn, experiment,and grow so very much in such a supportive environment? Fifteen yers ago, I found myself on stage, scared to death, playing Ed Carmichael in this play, my twelve yer old son in the audience. Where else, but in this theater home, fifteen years later, could you experience directing that same young man, fresh off his own successful directorial début (Side Man last winter), in the same role? “You know if this keeps up, I want to live to be a hundred and fifty.”

You Can’t Take it With You is truly a theatrical feast. It is hilarious in its farcical humor, touching in its love story and in its enduring themes, poignant in its satire (and surprisingly relevant today, more than 75 years after it first appeared in theaters) and ingenious in its writing and construction. No wonder it garnered the Pulitzer Prize for Kaufman and Hart and no wonder it is a permanent fixture on American stages. This play is a delight to mount and all of us in the Providence Players family hope you will enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed bringing it to you!

Like DePinna and the milk man before him in the play, one day, 15 years ago, I just showed up at a meeting of what was to become Providence Players and just stayed….and as you watch tonight’s performance I trust you will see why…and I hope you will stay too…”Going to be a nice crowd.”

Chip Gertzog, Director

Photo Gallery

Photos by Chip Gertzog

Cast

• Penny Sycamore: Sara Evans Bennett
• Essie Carmichael: Andra Whitt
• Rheba: Elizabeth Pfeifer
• Paul Sycamore: Mike Daze
• Mr. DePinna: Joe Gargiulo
• Ed Carmichael: Jimmy Gertzog
• Donald: Bill Vanderclute
• Martin Vanderhoff (Grandpa) John Coscia
• Alice Sycamore: Katie Brown
• Mr. Henderson: Harry Kantrovich
• Tony Kirby: Christopher Schwartz
• Boris Kolenkhov: Craig Geoffrion
• Gay Wellington: Beth Hughes Brown
• Mrs. Kirby: Susan Kaplan
• Mr. Kirby: Patrick David
• G-Man 1: Mike Donohue
• Duchess Olga Katrina: Tina Hodge Thronson

Production Team

• Director: Chip Gertzog
• Producer: Janet Bartelmay
• Stage Manager: Danine Welsh
• Asst Stage Manager: Mike Donohue
• Stage Crew: Raedun Knutsen, Emma Pfeifer
• Technical Director: Sarah Mournighan
• Lighting Design: Sarah Mournighan, Chip Gertzog
• Sound Design: Chip Gertzog, Barbara Gertzog
• Technical Crew: Cathy Moscowitz
• Set Design: John Coscia
• Set Construction: John Coscia
• Set Construction Crew: Janet Bartelmay, John Coscia, Joe Gargiulo, Andrew Garling, Chip Gertzog, Jimmy Gertzog, David James, Harry Kantrovich, Saul Kaplan, Raedun Knutsen, Mike Mattheisen, Cathy Moskowitz, Elizabeth Pfeifer, Emma Pfeifer, Gordon Pfeifer, Dave Schwartz, Audrey Suarez, Tina Thronson, Bobby Welsh, Danine Welsh, Elise Welsh, Sue Winfield
• Set Decoration: Lisa Church, Chip Gertzog
• Set Painting/Wall Paper: Chip Gertzog, Lisa Church, Craig Geoffrion
• Costume Design: Robbie Snow
• Hair and Makeup Design: Beth Harrison
• Properties: Chip Gertzog
• Special Effects: Chip Gertzog
• House Management: Mike Daze, Mike Mattheisen, Matt Ames, Sue Winfield
• Playbill: Ellen Burns
• Playbill Advertising: Jayne Victor, John Coscia, David Whitehead
• Photographers: Chip Gertzog, Emma Pfeifer
• Publicity: Chip Gertzog

Disclaimer: Providence Players provided two complimentary media tickets to ShowBizRadio for this review.

Providence Players ‘return to their roots’ with season debut

Harkening back to their début performance, the Providence Players of Fairfax (PPF) open their 15th anniversary season with You Can’t Take It With You, a Pulitzer-winning comedy that fosters an appreciation for the eccentricities of family life. The production opened Friday, October 19th, and runs through Saturday November 3rd.

The company first performed You Can’t Take It With You 15 years ago, when the Providence Players were a fledgling group of local elementary school parents, seeking a creative way to raise funds for their elementary school PTA.

Chip Gertzog, director of this year’s show, played Ed Carmichael — the eccentric son-in-law of Paul and Penny Sycamore — in the 1998 production. Gertzog’s son, Jimmy, reprises the role for this year’s run of the comedy.

I had a chance to speak with Gertzog about his experience of 15 years in community theater, coming full circle with a return of You Can’t Take It With You, and the benefit of bringing spaghetti on stage.

SBR: You decided to open your 15th season with a repeat of the production You Can’t Take It With You, which PP first performed in 1998. Why the repeat?

CG: This is the first time we’ve ever remounted a play that we had previously done. We thought it was sort of fitting for our 15th anniversary to go back to the beginning and see what we could do. We have many theater-goers that have been following us from the very beginning and it will be a treat for them to see what we can do with the same play 15 years later.

SBR: You were in that first performance 15 years ago, playing the part of Ed Carmichael, right? And that was without much theater experience up to that point?

CG: That was absolutely my first time ever in live theater. As a kid in high school and college I did some radio broadcasting. I actually got involved in the effort at the beginning to learn some technical theater. I had done light shows for rock bands when I was a kid. Unfortunately at the time we didn’t have enough men to fill the male roles, so I got drafted into acting. I was absolutely scared to death.

SBR: Now your son is reprising the role this year, with you directing?

CG: Yes. My 26-year-old son [Jimmy] is now in that same role. And that’s a pretty cool experience. He’s been involved with the Providence Players since the very beginning. He’s a Board member, he’s directed some of the plays, he’s done a lot of technical direction. And he’s a pretty darn good little actor.

SBR: You mentioned that PP operates with a unique twist on community theater and with a “fairly significant sense of civic engagement?” What do you mean by that?

CG: We like to say we’re a big tent. There’s room for first-timers, novices, and experienced theater people alike. The fundamental approach is building community through theater. We’ve been successful, I think, in reaching a certain level of artistic excellence, but it’s really about creating an experience that’s welcoming for a full range of talents.

SBR: How much has the production value changed over the years, beginning with your first performance 15 years ago?

CG: We got better and better with each and every show we did. Once we arrived at our theater home, at James Lee Community Center, the value increased tremendously. There are many fine theater companies in the Washington area, and many do tremendous work with their set design. I don’t think our sets are second to any in the Washington area. In Saturday, Sunday, Monday, which is an Italian farce, one of the more interesting things we did is we cooked spaghetti sauce on stage and when the audience entered the theater to first take their seats they were greeted by the wonderful smell of onions and garlic cooking. We try to give people a holistic sense experience whenever possible.

SBR: What can you tell us about the cast? Any notable newcomers?

CG: We have Harry Kantrovich, he’s playing Mr. Henderson. This is his début performance with the PP. We have several others who are in their second performance.

SBR: Which other shows in the upcoming season do we have to look forward to?

CG: We try whenever possible to do a holiday show. This year we are doing The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. We are co-producing that play with The Young Hearts, which is a group of young people extraordinarily successful in raising money to find cures for blood cancer. In the spring, we have Dinner With Friends, which is a 2000 Pulitzer Prize winning drama. Our final show of the season is one that you haven’t seen often on the community theater circuit. It’s a farce called Is He Dead? It was written by Mark Twain and was his only play. We selected each of our plays with an eye at doing something special and kind of different that you don’t really see that often.