[NEohioPAL]Another Great Review of INSIDE OUT at Actors' Summit

Sat Feb 25 15:37:52 PST 2006

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=20
Group therapy entertaining at  Actors=E2=80=99 Summit Theater
By David Ritchey =20
HUDSON =E2=80=94 Repairing broken emotions  and broken lives is the subject=20=
of =E2=80=9C
Inside Out,=E2=80=9D which is on stage at Actors=E2=80=99  Summit Theater. =20
This new show deals with a  therapist, Grace, and five members of her therap=
y=20
group. =20
Each member of the group has a  problem that requires the =E2=80=9Cwork=E2=
=80=9D of everyone=20
in the circle. Molly is too fat and  can=E2=80=99t hold her husband=E2=80=
=99s attention. Liz=20
is a business tycoon and workaholic and  those traits may end her marriage.=20
Sage has low, low self-esteem. A single  parent, Chlo is a lesbian who isn=
=E2=80=99t=20
meeting any interesting women. Dena had a  career as a singer, but she made=20=
a=20
bad choice and now her career seems ended and  she=E2=80=99s broke. =20
Grace, the therapist and group  leader, has had several marriages, each to a=
=20
younger man. =20
=E2=80=9CInside Out=E2=80=9D is a musical. Each  character sings about her p=
roblem and=20
sometimes the other members of the group  provide backup. Doug Haverty (book=
 and=20
lyrics) and Adryan Russ (music and  lyrics) have written a thought-provoking=
=20
play. Any audience member might say,  =E2=80=9CYes, I know that character=
=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9CYes, I am=20
that character.=E2=80=9D These women are  familiar. =20
Unfortunately, Haverty has taken  the easy way out. He should cut deeper and=
=20
make his characters bleed. He  superficially solves too many serious problem=
s.=20
Often, the audience doesn=E2=80=99t see  the problem being solved. We merely=
 hear the=20
report to the therapist of how the  problem ended. Consequently, the=20
playwright doesn=E2=80=99t challenge the audience; he  merely attempts to en=
tertain us. We=20
deserve better. =20
One of the bright spots of the show  is Molly=E2=80=99s divorce ceremony. Sh=
e brings=20
her marriage certificate to the group,  places it on the table and sings abo=
ut=20
the joys of being out of a bad  relationship. The only thing this scene=20
needed was for someone to burn the paper  while the cast sang in praise of d=
ivorce.=20
=20
Unfortunately, the five clients  aren=E2=80=99t likable women. Each, in her=20=
turn,=20
seems self-centered and self-absorbed.  I wish that I liked each of them mor=
e. In=20
addition, a sudden burst of anger from  one woman directed to another woman=20
doesn=E2=80=99t seem motivated. And this happened  several times. These wome=
n suffer=20
too much soap opera angst. We should be  involved beyond merely watching thi=
s=20
melodrama. We should have more empathy for  each character and her problems,=
=20
which would make the show audience-involving.  Where are the desperate house=
wives=20
when you need them? =20
The actress who played Grace (Lissy  Gulick) on opening night withdrew from=20
the show because of a family emergency.  The theater=E2=80=99s artistic dire=
ctor, Mary=20
Jo Alexander, has taken over that role.  Alexander has the strong singing=20
voice the Grace role demands. I suspect that by  this weekend, Alexander and=
 the=20
show will be up to the standards of Actors=E2=80=99  Summit. =20
The real star of =E2=80=9CInside Out=E2=80=9D is  Michael Flohr, the musical=
 director and=20
accompanist. Flohr often works at  Actors=E2=80=99 Summit, and the reason is=
 simple =E2=80=94 he
=E2=80=99s good. =20
Neil Thackaberry (director) keeps  the action and the comedy moving at a=20
brisk pace. Each of the characters is  distinct =E2=80=94 that is due to the=
 quality of=20
the performers, the excellent direction  and appropriate costumes. The costu=
mes,=20
which were the responsibility of  Alexander, reveal a progression in each=20
character=E2=80=99s emotional development. =20
The over-riding arc of this play is  the support women give to each other. =20
Despite problems in the script and  in some of the music, this production=20
offers women something to cheer about. =20
=E2=80=9CInside Out=E2=80=9D plays through March 5.  Women should grab their=
 girlfriends and=20
treat themselves to a night out in  Hudson. For ticket information, call=20
(330) 342-0800. =20
David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in  communications and is a professor of=20
communications at The University of Akron.  He is a member of the American T=
heatre=20
Critics Association. =20

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<DIV>
<H2 style=3D"MARGIN: auto 0in"><SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Group therapy entertaining at=
=20
Actors=E2=80=99 Summit Theater<o:p></o:p></H2>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">By David Ritchey=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">HUDSON =E2=80=94 Repairing br=
oken emotions=20
and broken lives is the subject of =E2=80=9CInside Out,=E2=80=9D which is on=
 stage at Actors=E2=80=99=20
Summit Theater. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">This new show deals with a=20
therapist, Grace, and five members of her therapy group. <SPAN=
=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Each member of the group has=20=
a=20
problem that requires the =E2=80=9Cwork=E2=80=9D of everyone in the circle.=20=
Molly is too fat and=20
can=E2=80=99t hold her husband=E2=80=99s attention. Liz is a business tycoon=
 and workaholic and=20
those traits may end her marriage. Sage has low, low self-esteem. A single=20
parent, Chlo is a lesbian who isn=E2=80=99t meeting any interesting women. D=
ena had a=20
career as a singer, but she made a bad choice and now her career seems ended=
 and=20
she=E2=80=99s broke. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Grace, the therapist and grou=
p=20
leader, has had several marriages, each to a younger man. <SPA=
N=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=9CInside Out=E2=80=9D=20=
is a musical. Each=20
character sings about her problem and sometimes the other members of the gro=
up=20
provide backup. Doug Haverty (book and lyrics) and Adryan Russ (music and=20
lyrics) have written a thought-provoking play. Any audience member might say=
,=20
=E2=80=9CYes, I know that character=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9CYes, I am that char=
acter.=E2=80=9D These women are=20
familiar. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Unfortunately, Haverty has ta=
ken=20
the easy way out. He should cut deeper and make his characters bleed. He=20
superficially solves too many serious problems. Often, the audience doesn=
=E2=80=99t see=20
the problem being solved. We merely hear the report to the therapist of how=20=
the=20
problem ended. Consequently, the playwright doesn=E2=80=99t challenge the au=
dience; he=20
merely attempts to entertain us. We deserve better. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">One of the bright spots of th=
e show=20
is Molly=E2=80=99s divorce ceremony. She brings her marriage certificate to=20=
the group,=20
places it on the table and sings about the joys of being out of a bad=20
relationship. The only thing this scene needed was for someone to burn the p=
aper=20
while the cast sang in praise of divorce. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Unfortunately, the five clien=
ts=20
aren=E2=80=99t likable women. Each, in her turn, seems self-centered and sel=
f-absorbed.=20
I wish that I liked each of them more. In addition, a sudden burst of anger=20=
from=20
one woman directed to another woman doesn=E2=80=99t seem motivated. And this=
 happened=20
several times. These women suffer too much soap opera angst. We should be=20
involved beyond merely watching this melodrama. We should have more empathy=20=
for=20
each character and her problems, which would make the show audience-involvin=
g.=20
Where are the desperate housewives when you need them? <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">The actress who played Grace=20=
(Lissy=20
Gulick) on opening night withdrew from the show because of a family emergenc=
y.=20
The theater=E2=80=99s artistic director, Mary Jo Alexander, has taken over t=
hat role.=20
Alexander has the strong singing voice the Grace role demands. I suspect tha=
t by=20
this weekend, Alexander and the show will be up to the standards of Actors=
=E2=80=99=20
Summit. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">The real star of =E2=80=9CIns=
ide Out=E2=80=9D is=20
Michael Flohr, the musical director and accompanist. Flohr often works at=20
Actors=E2=80=99 Summit, and the reason is simple =E2=80=94 he=E2=80=99s good=
. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Neil Thackaberry (director) k=
eeps=20
the action and the comedy moving at a brisk pace. Each of the characters is=20
distinct =E2=80=94 that is due to the quality of the performers, the excelle=
nt direction=20
and appropriate costumes. The costumes, which were the responsibility of=20
Alexander, reveal a progression in each character=E2=80=99s emotional develo=
pment.=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">The over-riding arc of this p=
lay is=20
the support women give to each other. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">Despite problems in the scrip=
t and=20
in some of the music, this production offers women something to cheer about.=
=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">=E2=80=9CInside Out=E2=80=9D=20=
plays through March 5.=20
Women should grab their girlfriends and treat themselves to a night out in=20
Hudson. For ticket information, call (330) 342-0800. <SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<o:p><FONT=20
size=3D3> </o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica">David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in=20
communications and is a professor of communications at The University of Akr=
on.=20
He is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association. <S=
PAN=20
style=3D"COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Helvetica"><o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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