Respect for a difficult job well done

By BARBARA FREDRICKSEN
Published July 14, 2007

Many years ago, an old newspaper guy told me, "Trust the voters, Barbara. They won't let you down."

Unfortunately, that hasn't always worked out all that well, especially on the national scene.

But, on a more sublime level, it did make sense at the HAMI Awards celebration at Stage West Community Playhouse last week.

Not at first.

At first, I think everyone in the audience was as surprised as the recipient when Saul Leibner won the HAMI for Best Director of Neil Simon's 45 Seconds from Broadway.

"I am in total shock," Leibner said, then quickly and graciously added, "This is totally unexpected but greatly appreciated."

Leibner probably knew that, despite the fact the adored Neil Simon wrote the play, it was, arguably, the weakest script in the Stage West season.

That's why it's important to note that the award is called "Best Director," not "Favorite Director" or "Director of the Favorite Show." It is the only category of the evening that specifies pure ability, unlike all the other categories, which were listed merely as "lead actor" or "lead actress" and can be interpreted however anyone wants to interpret them (favorite lead actor? best lead actor? tallest lead actor?).

When they gave 45 Seconds actors Mollie Lutz and Sharon Farnsworth and director Leibner those HAMIs, the Stage West voters were recognizing brilliant casting, directing and performance, rather than giving praise for an already wonderful show done well.

Leibner and his cast and crew took a flimsy script without a plot and, through sheer force of will, performed their little hearts out and made it into a, well, pretty tolerable show.

One notable example is the scene where two rabid theater fans, Arlene and Cindy, telephone someone offstage to tell him about a tacky show they've just seen that was looking for financial backers.

The scene might be very funny to theater insiders who have actually been to such events, but, like the "inside NASCAR" scenes in Talladega Nights, it has limited appeal to us outsiders who haven't.

Even so, Leibner's players, Cheryl Roberts and Patty Villegas, made it into a laugh riot by adding about two tons of stage business. Their seemingly uncontrollable laughter, knee slapping and telephone tossing, plus Villegas' baritone Bronx accent, turned the exchange between the two women into a highlight of the show.

It's always a thrill for the audience when a community theater does a great job on a big Broadway show like My Fair Lady or a difficult classic like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

But there's a feeling of quiet respect when a group takes on an anemic show and gives it some life.

* * *

I think most people would agree that of all the plays in the Nunsense series written by playwright/composer Dan Goggin (I think it's six or seven by now), the first one was by far the best.

To be sure, the others - Nuncrackers, Nunsensations, Nunsense Jamboree, Meshuggah Nuns, The Second Coming - have their moments. But plain ol' Nunsense has more moments than the rest put together.

That's why it's nice to see a group of veteran performers doing the original from Aug. 2 to 12 in Spring Hill.

Award-winning singer-actor Betsy Glasson is playing Mother Superior, Susan Schildbach will be Sister Hubert, Leanne German will play Sister Robert Ann (her sixth time to do so), Victoria Primosch will be Sister Leo and newcomer Angelena Burrow will be the daffy Sister Amnesia.

Appropriately, the show will be in Xavier Hall at St. Francis Cabrini Catholic Church on Mariner Boulevard. Shows are at 8 p.m. on Aug. 2 and subsequent Fridays, 1 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets are $10, with proceeds going to the church's music ministry. Call (352) 683-9666 or 683-6241 if you want to see it - or see it again.

[Last modified July 14, 2007, 00:37:11]