Cat on a Hot Tin Roof heats up Chapel Street

Pulling off a Tennessee Williams play about southern social mores in the 1950s wasn’t easy in the 1950s, but doing it in 2011, on the 56^th anniversary of the play’s first production, is quite a feat.

Jamie Cunningham is most ambitious in trying to portray a culture not his own with its intricate balance of family power, sexuality and avarice in the mid-twentieth century South. His directing skills are evident in his advice to Francesca Vavala who played the toughest role of Margaret. She keeps up her southern accent and quiet tones in character – through the lion’s share of the first act while her husband, Brick – played with practiced aloofness by Jim Burns - sips his liquor and tried to numb himself to her banter and pleas.

Big Daddy (Raymond Harrington) and Big Mamma (Judith A. David – whom you would recognize in her street clothes as the perennial Chapel Street volunteer) are brash and bigger than life as patriarch and matriarch ruling over the huge plantation and their children.

And a delightful discovery for me was the perfect southern gentleman that Andrew Mitchell conjured up as Gooper, the older son of the family. He was cool, calm and conniving -- quietly leading his wife and brood of no-neck monsters --ably played by five children -- of whom Steve Ashby (Buster) did a great job with what Tennessee Williams had written as Dixie’s lines in the play.

By the way, Mitchell’s direction of Zoo Story is the winner of the ESTA competition and will be going to national competition.

Shows April 22 – May 7, 2011.

See www.chapelstreetplayers.org.

Oh No They Didn't! The Full Monty at NCT

Photo: Marilyn Scanlon

The minute the lights go down for the New Candlelight Theater's production of The Full Monty, you're transported from the big barn in Ardentown to a nightckub in Buffalo -- and it's Ladies' Night. Rarely does the line between watching a play and actually experiencing what's happening in the play disappear so quickly and completely.

Most of The Full Monty, directed by NCT's Producing Artistic Director, Chris Alberts, doesn't take place on the nightclub stage, but those scenes are no less engaging. Based on the popular 1997 British film of the same name, the musical follows a group of out-of-work steel workers desperate to make ends meet, who turn to stripping -- one night only -- in the hopes of making $50,000. The stakes are high: Jerry (Paul Goodman) is behind in child support payments, and could lose joint custody of his son (Timmy Bradford); Dave (David T. Snyder) feels so inadequate that his marriage to Georgie (Erienne Poole) is crumbling; Harold (Patrick O'Hara) has been pretending go to work as a foreman every day for months while his wife (Erica Scanlon Harr) enjoys a carefree middle class lifestyle; and Malcolm (Peter Briccotto) had given up on life altogether. They join together and recruit Ethan (Chris Brown) and Horse (Andre Dion Wills), who each add certain physical attributes, as well as some great chemistry, to the act, which comes to be called "Hot Metal."

Photo: Marilyn Scanlon

Despite some dark themes, The Full Monty is a full-on comedy. And very good comedy, at that. Composer/Lyricist David Yazbeck doesn't hold back. Sometimes it's racy  (it's a show about male stripping, after all), and sometimes it's dark, as with the number "Big Ass Rock," where Jerry and Dave assure the suicidal Malcolm that they're true friends who would kill him in any number of ways if he asked -- a service that was no longer needed once Malcolm realized he had true friends. There is sweet romance; I won't give all of the romance away for those who haven't seen the movie, but it's all done exceptionally well. The show has its share of poignant moments between laughs.

The cast fit their roles to a T, without exception. Scene stealers included Erica Scanlon Harr (is there ever a show she doesn't steal?) with "You Gotta Love That Man," Andre Dion Wills with "Big Black Man," Peter Briccotto in "Big Ass Rock," and Susan Dewey as Hot Metal's practice pianist and showbiz vet, Jeanette.

Ultimately, we are returned to the nightclub, and Hot Metal's big night. It's a wild show you won't soon forget.

The Full Monty runs through May 22, with special Ladies' Discount Nights on April 15 and 29. This is an adult show -- no one under 17 is permitted. For tickets, click here.

April's Colorful Art Loop

This month, The Delaware Center for Horticulture features Taken by Trees, an exhibit of watercolors by Barbara Seymour. Stunningly vivid, the works range from portraits of trees in her neighborhood to the elegant Swarthmore College (Seymour’s alma mater) campus. She creates surprisingly bold colors, depth and textures with watercolors and ink. A centerpiece of the exhibit, Angel Oak (pictured) embraces its audience with its majestic poetry. Seymour’s love of nature sings out from the paintings. See http://web.me.com/seymourart/Site/Welcome.html

At DCAD the Annual Continuing Education exhibit is in full swing. Both students and teachers are showcased. Donna Cusano, Beginning Pastels instructor, shows three lovely works. My favorite is Humbled Means, a bird’s eye view of houses nestled in the countryside. Cusano almost makes brush strokes with the pastels, evoking hypnotic landscapes. Also notable are the photographs of Nick Pulos, a student from the Macro Photography class. His close-up shot of his son’s eyelashes is dramatic and riveting. See http://www.donnacusano.com and http://nickpulosphotography.com

At the New Wilmington Art Association I had the pleasure of talking to Dan Haddigan. His untitled work is a structure designed to resemble concrete and emit smoke. He explained he is fascinated with futility: the concrete is supposed to be impenetrable, yet the smoke manages to waft through. Underneath, he has installed a smoke machine. Haddigan’s piece is interesting and well-executed. Like my other favorite artists participating in the Wilmington Art Loop, he invites his viewers to wonder and perhaps ponder, too. See http://www.danhaddigan.com/