[NEohioPAL]INSIDE OUT is "Laugh Out Loud Funny" -- Beacon Journal Review -- Actors' Summit

[Thackaberr at aol.com]

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Show is laugh-out-loud  funny
Despite losing  actress, Actors' Summit musical `Inside Out' is fun night for 
the girls or for a  date
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon  Journal staff writer 
The folks at  Actors' Summit take the adage ``the show must go on''  
seriously. 
Sadly,  Cleveland Heights actress Lissy Gulick, one of the stars of the 
musical  Inside Out, learned after opening night Friday that her father, Brooks  
Jones, had died. 
Gulick  stepped down from the role of therapist Grace, and co-artistic 
director MaryJo  Alexander assumed the role Saturday evening, when I saw the  show. 
It's a  tribute to Alexander's professionalism that in less than 24 hours, 
she had  learned the show's blocking and songs and made Grace's lines 
believable.  Alexander held her script and score for Saturday night's performance, 
losing her  place for only a couple of moments in her dialogue and  song. 
Alexander  will continue the role through the run to allow Gulick time with 
her family. The  cast is going back into rehearsal in preparation for this 
week's performances,  which begin Thursday. 
Despite the  difficulties that plagued opening weekend, the musical is often  
laugh-out-loud funny. 
The show,  which ran off-off Broadway and then off-Broadway, was created by 
Doug Haverty  and Adryan Russ. The Hudson production is Inside Out's regional  
premiere. 
Five women of  vastly different personalities meet for a weekly group therapy 
session,  facilitated by Grace. At first, it seems improbable that a 
therapist would let  these patients rag on each other the way they do; one would 
assume that most  therapists lay down pretty strict ground rules for how patients 
may speak to one  another. 
But soon, we  realize that Grace uses both role-playing and her patients' 
pushing each other's  buttons as avenues to self-discovery. 
None of this  is terribly deep, including the story, but the singing and 
comedy are fun. Shani  Ferry, as the hippy-dippy New Age lady, has some 
outrageously funny lines and  delivers them with zest. 
This musical  trots out just about every female neurosis imaginable. Burning 
questions  include: Will I ever lose my baby weight? Is my husband cheating on 
me? Can I  rejuvenate my stalled career? Can I move past the third date with 
a man? Do I  have the courage to pursue a loving relationship? Which comes 
first, career or  family? 
We forgive  all the female stereotypes because they're presented in such 
comical style. In  If You Really Loved Me, a laundry list of women's needs runs 
from the  sublime to the ridiculous. 
Inside  Out  provides a fun girls' night out or a good excuse for a date 
night. (Men, rest  assured: no male bashing.) 
Other  characters include insecure singer Dena (Tricia Bestic), who's afraid 
of  failure; first-time mom Molly (Beth Cubbison); no-nonsense lesbian Chlo 
(Jessica  Dunphy); and controlling, high-powered career woman Liz (Jacqi  
Loewy). 
Some of the  humorous lyrics women can relate to include: ``Make me less of a 
glutton/ Make  my Levis button'' in Cubbison's tune Thin. 
Both she and  Dunphy are newcomers to Actors' Summit's main stage. Dunphy has 
a wonderfully  sassy, often sexy stage presence: You can't keep your eyes off 
her when she's  singing and talking. 
The ensemble  generally works well together, with the lovely Bestic taking 
center stage most  often as the washed-out diva, Dena. It's enjoyable to hear 
most of the singing,  except for Loewy's. Her weak vocals were off-key and 
sounded as if she were  shouting in most of her solo moments Saturday evening. 
The whole  ensemble's a hoot, however, in the doo-wop-style number Do It at 
Home,  with cute staging by director Neil Thackaberry and clever 
double-entendres bound  to bring giggles. 
  
____________________________________

Theater critic Kerry  Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at 
_kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com_ (mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com) .  

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<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN class=3Dheadline><S=
PAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Show is laugh-ou=
t-loud=20
funny</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 16pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN><SPAN=
=20
class=3Ddeck><B><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Despite losing=20
actress, Actors' Summit musical `Inside Out' is fun night for the girls or f=
or a=20
date</SPAN></B></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR><SPAN=20
class=3Dbyline><B>By Kerry Clawson</B></SPAN><BR><SPAN class=3Dcreditline><B=
>Beacon=20
Journal staff writer</B></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The fol=
ks at=20
Actors' Summit take the adage ``the show must go on''=20
seriously.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Sadly,=20
Cleveland Heights actress Lissy Gulick, one of the stars of the musical=20
<I>Inside Out</I>, learned after opening night Friday that her father, Brook=
s=20
Jones, had died.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Gulick=20
stepped down from the role of therapist Grace, and co-artistic director Mary=
Jo=20
Alexander assumed the role Saturday evening, when I saw the=20
show.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It's a=20
tribute to Alexander's professionalism that in less than 24 hours, she had=20
learned the show's blocking and songs and made Grace's lines believable.=20
Alexander held her script and score for Saturday night's performance, losing=
 her=20
place for only a couple of moments in her dialogue and=20
song.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Alexand=
er=20
will continue the role through the run to allow Gulick time with her family.=
 The=20
cast is going back into rehearsal in preparation for this week's performance=
s,=20
which begin Thursday.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Despite=
 the=20
difficulties that plagued opening weekend<I>,</I> the musical is often=20
laugh-out-loud funny.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The sho=
w,=20
which ran off-off Broadway and then off-Broadway, was created by Doug Havert=
y=20
and Adryan Russ. The Hudson production is <I>Inside Out</I>'s regional=20
premiere.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Five wo=
men of=20
vastly different personalities meet for a weekly group therapy session,=20
facilitated by Grace. At first, it seems improbable that a therapist would l=
et=20
these patients rag on each other the way they do; one would assume that most=
=20
therapists lay down pretty strict ground rules for how patients may speak to=
 one=20
another.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">But soo=
n, we=20
realize that Grace uses both role-playing and her patients' pushing each oth=
er's=20
buttons as avenues to self-discovery.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">None of=
 this=20
is terribly deep, including the story, but the singing and comedy are fun. S=
hani=20
Ferry, as the hippy-dippy New Age lady, has some outrageously funny lines an=
d=20
delivers them with zest.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">This mu=
sical=20
trots out just about every female neurosis imaginable. Burning questions=20
include: Will I ever lose my baby weight? Is my husband cheating on me? Can=20=
I=20
rejuvenate my stalled career? Can I move past the third date with a man? Do=20=
I=20
have the courage to pursue a loving relationship? Which comes first, career=20=
or=20
family?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We forg=
ive=20
all the female stereotypes because they're presented in such comical style.=20=
In=20
<I>If You Really Loved Me</I>, a laundry list of women's needs runs from the=
=20
sublime to the ridiculous.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><I><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Insi=
de=20
Out</SPAN></I><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Ari=
al">=20
provides a fun girls' night out or a good excuse for a date night. (Men, res=
t=20
assured: no male bashing.)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Other=20
characters include insecure singer Dena (Tricia Bestic), who's afraid of=20
failure; first-time mom Molly (Beth Cubbison); no-nonsense lesbian Chlo (Jes=
sica=20
Dunphy); and controlling, high-powered career woman Liz (Jacqi=20
Loewy).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Some of=
 the=20
humorous lyrics women can relate to include: ``Make me less of a glutton/ Ma=
ke=20
my Levis button'' in Cubbison's tune <I>Thin</I>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Both sh=
e and=20
Dunphy are newcomers to Actors' Summit's main stage. Dunphy has a wonderfull=
y=20
sassy, often sexy stage presence: You can't keep your eyes off her when she'=
s=20
singing and talking.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The ens=
emble=20
generally works well together, with the lovely Bestic taking center stage mo=
st=20
often as the washed-out diva, Dena. It's enjoyable to hear most of the singi=
ng,=20
except for Loewy's. Her weak vocals were off-key and sounded as if she were=20
shouting in most of her solo moments Saturday evening.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><SPAN style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The who=
le=20
ensemble's a hoot, however, in the doo-wop-style number <I>Do It at Home</I>=
,=20
with cute staging by director Neil Thackaberry and clever double-entendres b=
ound=20
to bring giggles.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"=20
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<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Theater critic K=
erry=20
Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or by e-mail at <A=20
title=3Dmailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com=20
href=3D"mailto:kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com">kclawson at thebeaconjournal.com<=
/A>.</SPAN></I></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">=20
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>

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