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Stage

Have dinner and peruse 'Personals'

A M.A.D. Theatre production in Tampa explores the lives of six New Yorkers looking for love.

By ROBERT HICKS
Published February 10, 2005

Okay, let's admit it: We've all enjoyed reading those in-search-of-romance ads known as personals.

They've got the same allure as gossip columns, self-help books, astrologers and Dear Abby, not to mention online chat rooms - all providing a glimmer of romance amid the chaos of daily life.

Marta Kauffman, Seth Friedman and David Crane's Personals is a charming, sardonic (albeit dated) revue about six New Yorkers looking for love in the '80s. Think Little Shop of Horrors meets I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. St. Petersburg resident Ken Basque will make his Tampa directorial debut Friday in the M.A.D. Theatre production of the musical comedy, running at Viva La Frida through Feb. 27.

The cast features Kelly Schonmann as the romantically nostalgic Claire, who operates cameras at a video dating business. Stephen Patrick Riordan plays Sam, who goes on a blind date with her. Donald B. Holt Jr. portrays nerdy Louis, who recites pickup lines into a tape recorded throughout the play.

Janine Traycheff plays 40-something Kim, who has left her husband; Stephanie LaBohn and Craig Hartfield complete the cast of lonely, professional New Yorkers.

"I've watched this cast really bond and come together, just really have a good time in rehearsals and be creative," Basque said.

Best known as the creators of Friends, Kauffman and Crane met at Brandeis University, where they began their acting careers. After moving to New York City, where they co-wrote and produced several musicals (including a stage version of the movie Arthur), they co-wrote the book and lyrics for Personals, which received a Drama Desk nomination and an Outer Critics Award in 1985.

One of the challenges was updating the '80s material, Basque said.

"There's no mention of computers, no mention of the modern technology that we use to find people in the singles world. I read critiques of the musical, and one of the biggest ones was that it was dated. My challenge was to modernize it," the director said. "There were a few references to Pat Suzuki that wouldn't really mean a lot to people today. Harold Robbins is mentioned, but he's not as popular today as he was in the '80s. We basically threw something else in there that was more modern that had something to do with today's pop culture."

Basque, a veteran actor, comedian and singer, moved to St. Petersburg for his job with the medical review company First Advantage. While working there, he met M.A.D. founder and president G. Frank Meekins, who hired him for Perfectly Frank, a revue of the late Frank Loesser's music. Basque next appeared as Captain Walker in M.A.D.'s production of Tommy in 2004.

"It's been a very easy transition for me from acting, blocking things on my own and co-directing to doing my first full production as a director," Basque said.

"I always have visions in my head whenever I read a book or a script. It's been very fun for me to create and bring things to life."

PREVIEW: Personals, Friday through Feb. 27, 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Seating for dinner begins one hour before show time. Viva La Frida, 5901 N Florida Ave., Tampa. $30, $15 show only. RSVP: 813 884-6500; www.madtheatre.com

[Last modified February 9, 2005, 13:23:08]