[NEohioPAL]Another RAVE review of THE THING ABOUT MEN at Actors' Summit
Thackaberr at aol.com
Thackaberr at aol.com
Fri Jul 1 17:34:39 PDT 2005
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Infidelity offers delightful affair to dismember
New `The Thing About Men' sparkles for Actors' Summit
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon Journal staff writer
The quirky little musical The Thing About Men is light and fun summer fare
at Actors' Summit in Hudson.
The show is the creation of Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts, the same duo
behind the highly popular Off-Broadway revue I Love You, You're Perfect, Now
Change.
DiPietro-Roberts works have created a winning formula for Actors' Summit,
which extended its 2002 run of Love, Change in its regional premiere. The
theater also had an extended run for DiPietro's intergenerational comedy, Over the
River and Through the Woods.
The Thing About Men is another regional premiere -- somewhat fluffy fare
that nevertheless sparkles in the hands of Actors' Summit's strong five-actor
cast.
It's Tom and Lucy's 15th anniversary, and the philandering Tom discovers
that his wife has also been unfaithful. Tom, consumed for years by his
high-powered career and toys like his Porsche, has made Lucy feel invisible.
The penniless, long-haired artist Sebastian is ``perfect'' for Lucy's
current needs because he really listens to women. In fact, he took a class on it.
Tom begins stalking him, and when he finds out Sebastian needs a roommate,
Tom moves in in an effort to sabotage Sebastian's relationship with his wife.
``Welcome to hell,'' says Tom, posing as Milo. ``I'm your new roommate.''
Needless to say, the fact that Tom has moved into his wife's lover's
apartment lends itself to many ludicrously funny situations. As Tom -- posing as
Milo -- bullies Sebastian, he gives new meaning to the term passive-aggressive.
Both the lyrics and the dialogue are full of irony, which the actors handle
with the perfect touch. Tricia Bestic and Kent LeMar are funniest in their
many parts as the Mistress of All Roles and the Master of All Roles.
When Tom finds out Lucy is cheating, for example, they become a mocking
chorus, singing: ``Don't you just love a pretty love story?''
Bestic is a notably strong comic actress, playing everything from a jilted
Russian woman to a hilariously ditzy health club employee.
And W. Jamie Koeth, playing Sebastian, has perfect deadpan delivery when
Lucy's coming over to Sebastian's bachelor pad for the first time, saying,
``Dirt has joie de vivre.''
Actor Scott Boulware gets high marks for stepping into the role of Tom/Milo
late, after the theater experienced some initial casting problems. Boulware
had only five rehearsals with this show before previews opened last week.
Of course, it helped that he performed previously with both Koeth and Bestic
in the DiPietro/Roberts revue Love, Change at Playhouse Square.
Boulware is at his funniest when wearing an ``unusual'' mask to hide his
identity from his wife and when he grunts in a Neanderthal-like manner to her on
the phone from Sebastian's apartment.
Costume designer MaryJo Alexander has the cast in appropriate street clothes
with some funny touches, including a total of 10 wigs for three of the
actors. It's also humorous to see Boulware's uncool Tom wearing tassle loafers
with his sweatsuit at the gym.
The Thing About Men doesn't have a highly melodic score, but the music is
pleasant, accompanied by Michael Flohr on piano. Many of the songs have very
silly, singsong lyrics, which adds to the show's humor.
For example, when Tom's plan to break up Lucy and Sebastian backfires,
Sebastian sings:
``I have only one request -- tattoo Lucy on my chest.''
Among the best numbers are the very pretty, poplike love ballad Take Me Into
You, featuring Sandra Emerick as Lucy and Koeth as Sebastian.
The lovely and highly feminine Emerick also puts ample emotion into her hurt
and angry solo, Because.
Despite the theme of adultery, this musical is relatively tame. It does
contain some adult language that's most suitable for those high school age and
older.
The production's minimalist set features some picturesque downtown Akron
scenes on overhead slide projectors, including St. Bernard Church and crowds in
front of Posh nightclub, with very nice photography provided by Bruce Ford.
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<H1 style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 3.75pt"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FON=
T size=3D4>Infidelity offers delightful affair to=20
dismember<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></H1>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZ=
E: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3D4><IMG SRC=3D"cid:X.MA1.1120264478@=
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D=3D"MA1.1120264478" ><BR></FONT><FONT color=3D#666666><SPAN class=3Ddeck1=
><B>New=20
`The Thing About Men' sparkles for Actors' Summit</B></SPAN><BR><IMG SRC=3D"=
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or=3D#666666>By Kerry=20
Clawson</FONT></SPAN></B></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY=
: Arial"><BR><FONT color=3D#666666><IMG SRC=3D"cid:X.MA3.1120264478 at aol.com"=
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.1120264478" ><BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=3Dcreditline1><B><SPAN style=
=3D"FONT-SIZE: 7pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT color=3D#666666>Beacon Journal=
=20
staff writer</FONT></SPAN></B></SPAN><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-F=
AMILY: Arial"><BR><FONT color=3D#666666><IMG SRC=3D"cid:X.MA4.1120264478 at aol=
.com" height=3D1 width=3D1 DATASIZE=3D"43" v:shapes=3D"_x0000_i1028" ID=
=3D"MA4.1120264478" ><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><!-- begin body-cont=
ent -->The quirky=20
little musical <I>The Thing About Men </I>is light and fun summer fare at=20
Actors' Summit in Hudson.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The show is the creati=
on of=20
Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts, the same duo behind the highly popular=20
Off-Broadway revue <I>I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.=20
</I><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">DiPietro-Roberts works=
have=20
created a winning formula for Actors' Summit, which extended its 2002 run of=
=20
<I>Love, Change </I>in its regional premiere. The theater also had an extend=
ed=20
run for DiPietro's intergenerational comedy, <I>Over the River and Through t=
he=20
Woods. </I><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><I><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Thing About Men=
=20
</SPAN></I><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">is another reg=
ional=20
premiere -- somewhat fluffy fare that nevertheless sparkles in the hands of=20
Actors' Summit's strong five-actor cast.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It's Tom and Lucy's 15=
th=20
anniversary, and the philandering Tom discovers that his wife has also been=20
unfaithful. Tom, consumed for years by his high-powered career and toys like=
his=20
Porsche, has made Lucy feel invisible.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The penniless, long-ha=
ired=20
artist Sebastian is ``perfect'' for Lucy's current needs because he really=20
listens to women. In fact, he took a class on it.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tom begins stalking hi=
m, and=20
when he finds out Sebastian needs a roommate, Tom moves in in an effort to=20
sabotage Sebastian's relationship with his wife.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">``Welcome to hell,'' s=
ays=20
Tom, posing as Milo. ``I'm your new roommate.''<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Needless to say, the f=
act=20
that Tom has moved into his wife's lover's apartment lends itself to many=20
ludicrously funny situations. As Tom -- posing as Milo -- bullies Sebastian,=
he=20
gives new meaning to the term passive-aggressive.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Both the lyrics and th=
e=20
dialogue are full of irony, which the actors handle with the perfect touch.=20
Tricia Bestic and Kent LeMar are funniest in their many parts as the Mistres=
s of=20
All Roles and the Master of All Roles.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">When Tom finds out Luc=
y is=20
cheating, for example, they become a mocking chorus, singing: ``Don't you ju=
st=20
love a pretty love story?''<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Bestic is a notably st=
rong=20
comic actress, playing everything from a jilted Russian woman to a hilarious=
ly=20
ditzy health club employee.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">And W. Jamie Koeth, pl=
aying=20
Sebastian, has perfect deadpan delivery when Lucy's coming over to Sebastian=
's=20
bachelor pad for the first time, saying, ``Dirt has joie de=20
vivre.''<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Actor Scott Boulware g=
ets=20
high marks for stepping into the role of Tom/Milo late, after the theater=20
experienced some initial casting problems. Boulware had only five rehearsals=
=20
with this show before previews opened last week.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Of course, it helped t=
hat he=20
performed previously with both Koeth and Bestic in the DiPietro/Roberts revu=
e=20
<I>Love, Change </I>at Playhouse Square.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Boulware is at his fun=
niest=20
when wearing an ``unusual'' mask to hide his identity from his wife and when=
he=20
grunts in a Neanderthal-like manner to her on the phone from Sebastian's=20
apartment.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Costume designer MaryJ=
o=20
Alexander has the cast in appropriate street clothes with some funny touches=
,=20
including a total of 10 wigs for three of the actors. It's also humorous to=20=
see=20
Boulware's uncool Tom wearing tassle loafers with his sweatsuit at the=20
gym.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Thing About Men do=
esn't=20
have a highly melodic score, but the music is pleasant, accompanied by Micha=
el=20
Flohr on piano. Many of the songs have very silly, singsong lyrics, which ad=
ds=20
to the show's humor.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">For example, when Tom'=
s plan=20
to break up Lucy and Sebastian backfires, Sebastian sings:<o:p></o:p></SPAN>=
</P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">``I have only one requ=
est --=20
tattoo Lucy on my chest.''<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Among the best numbers=
are=20
the very pretty, poplike love ballad <I>Take Me Into You, </I>featuring Sand=
ra=20
Emerick as Lucy and Koeth as Sebastian.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The lovely and highly=20
feminine Emerick also puts ample emotion into her hurt and angry solo,=20
<I>Because. </I><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Despite the theme of=20
adultery, this musical is relatively tame. It does contain some adult langua=
ge=20
that's most suitable for those high school age and older.<o:p></o:p></SPAN><=
/P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The production's minim=
alist=20
set features some picturesque downtown Akron scenes on overhead slide=20
projectors, including St. Bernard Church and crowds in front of Posh nightcl=
ub,=20
with very nice photography provided by Bruce Ford.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><!--=
end body-content --><!-- begin body-end --></DIV></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTM=
L>
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