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Mating mayhem
By BARBARA L. FREDRICKSEN, Times Staff Writer
After the success of its charming production of the musical fairy tale Once Upon a Mattress, the Richey Suncoast Theatre continues its season with the breezy boulevard comedy Don't Dress for Dinner, a fast-paced, sophisticated story of playful adultery, mistaken identity, misunderstandings and comical confusion. "This was originally written in French and called Pajamas for Six," said Saul Leibner, the show's director. "It's about having mistresses and lovers and getting them all mixed up." Leibner saw the show while vacationing with his wife, Roz, in Australia a year ago. They both loved it and urged Richey Suncoast's play committee to buy it for this season. "It's a more adult-type play," Leibner said. "There is no language that would offend in it, but it's not a play for children. They wouldn't understand the concept." In it, Bernard (Carlos Warner) is having an affair with the glamorous model Suzette (Tony Marie Starling-Saperstein). When Bernard's wife, Jacqueline, (Betsy Glasson) announces she's going out of town to visit her ill mother, Bernard sees the chance to rendezvous with Suzette at his country home. To provide him with the perfect alibi, Bernard invites along his best pal, Robert (Matt Veasey). Unbeknownst to Bernard, Robert and Jacqueline are also having an affair. To confuse matters more, Bernard hires a Cordon Bleu chef named Suzette (Susan Nichols) to prepare gourmet meals for the trysters, meaning that there are two Suzies in the house for the weekend. Matters take a turn for the worse when Jacqueline learns that her lover will be at the country home and decides to show up there as a surprise -- and for the chance to spend some time with her lover in those bucolic surroundings. What happens when everyone tries to fake their way through this mess is mass confusion. "It's an interesting show, very fast-paced," Leibner said. "(Theatrical) dialogue is usually two or three sentences, but here, it's more a word or a gesture, sometimes one on top of the other. In doing a show like that, the memorization for a character is more difficult than a long dialogue." Leibner's cast members all have extensive stage experience. Ms. Glasson has won five HAMIs at Stage West Community Playhouse for supporting female in a musical (Carnival), two lead female in a musical (Victor/Victoria and South Pacific), supporting female in a play (Rumors), and lead female in a play (Moon Over Buffalo) and has performed in several theaters, including Richey Suncoast and Playhouse 19 in Crystal River. Veasey won a HAMI as lead male in a musical (Victor/Victoria). Leibner has won five HAMIs for directing (Brighton Beach Memoirs, Rumors, Moon Over Buffalo, Lost in Yonkers and Lend Me a Tenor), the most of any any director at Stage West. At a glanceWHAT: Don't Dress for Dinner WHERE: Richey Suncoast Theatre, 6237 Grand Blvd., New Port Richey WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday and Oct. 25 and 26 and Nov. 1. 2, 8 and 9 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 and 10. TICKETS: $13, reserved seating. Box office is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and an hour before each show. Call (727) 842-6777.
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