Review: “Playwright’s Festival Fundraiser” at the Arts at Angeloria's

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle Nancy Sasso Janis

The Arts at Angeloria’s in Southington presented a unique “Playwright’s Festival Fundraiser” on Sept. 12 in the black box theater. The event was a sell-out.

The venue produced nine ten-minute plays written by Connecticut playwright Stuart Brown, performed by a cast of talented local actors.

The set list contained plays with relatable themes. Press materials touted “You'll laugh, sigh, shed a tear, and maybe think about things in a different way.” This description was certainly apt, with a strong emphasis on the laughing. In that the playwright has limited himself to approximately ten minutes in which to tell each story, he quickly sets the scene, introduces the characters and “we’re off.”

Taking notes for this festival was a challenge without a paper program, but I did my best. Any errors in credits are completely mine.

The first act opened with the play “The Drawing,” a fun story of a lottery ticket and a pair of glasses. It contained a bit of “If I Were a Rich Man” from “Fiddler on the Roof,” some cute television references and a sly mention of the high price of Broadway tickets. George was played with great comic timing by Bill Rodman and his wife Pat was played by Helen Malinka, directed by Kevin Pelkey.

“The Wait” is a very funny tale of a theater critic and his guest waiting to make their exit from a theater following a performance of “Mamma Mia!” As a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle, in which Brown serves as the president, I was able to completely relate to the premise. Knowing the playwright/critic as I do, I immediately realized that this piece was the most autobiographical. An actress seated in front of me in the audience concurred.

The playwright worked in an observation regarding the need to bring in new and diverse audiences to theatrical productions. I smiled at the running gag that videos of this critics' exit strategy antics had gone viral.

In this play, Rick Beebe took on the role of the theater critic who reviews 60-70 shows per year and Suzanne Thanner Robertson stepped in for Luisa Paiva Olah, who was ill and unable to perform. Robertson referred to her lines hidden in her playbill and did well with a part that she covered at the last minute. Catherine Pelkey directed this play.

“The Suitcase” is a somber vignette about caring for a family member with progressing Alzheimer's. Jen Colella and Lou Oporto played the married couple dealing with making the decision of the best placement for the wife’s mother. The two actors effectively brought to life the emotions of their characters under the direction of Kevin Pelkey.

The fourth piece was “The One,” a play with three characters that addresses the contemporary issue of the use of AI in the classroom. Oporto and Robertson played concerned parents on a quest for the “Legend of the One” and Malinka covered the role of the last teacher using Olah’s script. As an educator, I appreciated the inclusion of Ticonderoga pencils, the decline of cursive writing and the importance of hugs in the script.

The first act closed with “I Don’t Care,” a play about the experience of John Goldsmith (played by Chris Bushey) trying to get through the rigamarole of getting in to see a doctor. Kate Simpson voiced the unseen receptionist. Ed Rosenblatt directed this piece.

After the intermission, during which the raffle winners were drawn by Artistic Director Lori Holm, the second act opened with “Is There a Doctor in the House?” Ed Rosenblatt directed this biting take on the state of accessing medical care in this country. Patrick Cassidy played Sherman Peabody, a cog in the corporate wheel dealing with the patient-to-be, played by Malinka. It is no surprise that “Corporate” has banned opinions and doctors are too expensive. Bushey’s young daughter Lucy had an adorable cameo appearance at the end of this play, much to the delight of her many fans in the audience.

“Romeo Rules” is a relatable two-hander in which Chris Bushey swears in a new member of the “Retired Old Men Eating Out” club. With a surprising ending, this one drew many knowing laughs. Kevin Pelkey directed this play.

“House Hunted” took on the multitude of home renovation television shows with a young couple on an endless hunt for a home. Colella played the wife of Connor, portrayed by Cassidy and Catherine Pelkey directed The best part of this play was the appearance of household objects during the dream sequence, brought on stage by other actors and even the busy stage manager, Shelley. I loved it.

The festival closed with “I Can Do Better,” a sly commentary on theatrical flops. Simpson played a patron who intentionally buys tickets to shows panned by the critics. Oporto played the guy seated next to her with plenty of opinions on how to improve the performance. The patrons break the fourth wall on the stage and I appreciated the nod to Shakespeare. Robertson and Beebe played the actors in the play within the play and Catherine Pelkey directed the entire cast.

Kudos to the two young techs in charge of both lighting and sound.

It was a treat for me to see fully produced versions of Brown's clever work. It was very kind of him to offer this collection of his plays for this fundraiser for the Arts at Angeloria's.

Aspiring playwrights are invited to return on Saturday, September 13 for an all day workshop in which you will be guided by Stuart Brown and other playwrights in creating your own short work to be performed on Sunday, September 14th at 2:00 pm.

The public is invited to attend this Sunday performance of these new and original works with admission in the form of a suggested $10 donation at the door.

Cost: $15 for Friday, September 12th performance of Stuart Brown’s works
$25 for the Saturday, September 13th all-day workshop (9:00 am- 3:00 pm)
$10 (suggested donation at the door) Sunday, September 14th performance of new and original works created at the workshop. TICKETS: ANGELORIAS.LUDUS.COM

Tickets for the upcoming "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “A Christmas Story” are going fast. Lucy and her dad will appear in “A Christmas Story,” along with a wonderful group of talented Connecticut performers. Rosenblatt is the music director. Tickets at angelorias.ludus.com