[NEohioPAL] BUS STOP WORTH THE TRIP

[Jeff Chapman]

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Hudson Players - Bus Stop
 
FROM: Jeffrey Chapman
 
 
 
BUS STOP WORTH THE TRIP!
 
Bus Stop is based on a real life incident observed by the playwright William Inge.  On a bus trip from Missouri to Kansas City, he noticed a man persistently trying to pursue a woman at every stop.  Although she was apparently traveling with him, she continually rejected his advances.  However, by the time they reached the Kansas City Terminal, the suitor had made so much progress that they walked away arm in arm!
 
The play reveals the lives of eight people who have to spend the night in a diner outside Kansas City, Kansas during a March wind storm.  The four passengers include a disgruntled professor running from his troubles and a night club singer running from a love struck cowboy and his buddy.  All the characters are looking for something, and it takes a layover at a country diner to find out what.  On this particular day, the roads are snowed in, so when the bus from Kansas City makes its stop, it cannot proceed.
 
The dynamics of Inge's well structured play allows each character to express their dreams, hope and their loneliness as we see their desperation and yeaning played out overnight, all marooned at the diner.  Filled with griping and fluid dialogue, this production of Bus Stop is an engaging and witty work so filled with empathetic characters that we willingly escape in to the world of 1950's Kansas.  The tight direction and the outstanding performances together with Inge's rich characters make this classic a very fulfilling night at the theatre.
 
Justin Brenis (Bo) looks and acts like an unruly, just-off-the-farm cowboy who believes he can have anything he wants, including the love of the night club singer.  He is very good in a demanding role.  Kimberly Mahoney, who plays Cherie, the object of the cowboy's affection and the role Marilyn Monroe made famous when the film of Bus Stop was released, has the very difficult job of making the role her "own" does so with flying colors!  Her "Cherie" is sweet, vulnerable and sad.  Her loneliness is very apparent and the actress does a very good job bringing all those emotions to the stage.   Her "Old Black Magic" number, (although a pithy version) is a wonderful moment in Act Two.  Cherie probably thinks she a good entertainer but the her performance of the song reveals something completely different!  Len Chase, as the bitter Dr. Lyman makes his character sympathetic even though he has been run out of the state because of sexual peccadilloes with young girls.   His enormous superciliousness with the naive teenaged waitress, played very well by Adrienne Jones, is very sensitive and sometimes very moving.  Michael Pitt gives a great performance as the sheriff who manages to keep the occupants of the diner in order.  Bob Peyak gives a heartfelt performance as Virgil, Bo's sidekick and father-figure.  His last line in the play is very heart-rendering.  Jim Wolf is very good in a small but important role of the bus driver, Carl.  And last, but not least is Grace, (Joy Borland) owner of the diner.
Ms. Borland's performance is wonderful. From her sexual antics with Carl to the very last tender moment of the play we see the humor and absolute loneliness this woman has endured for years. 
 
The director (Brian Zoldessy) paid as much attention to the excellence among his actors as he did to the quality of the sound and visuals.  The concept is rather brilliant.  Instead of a detailed unit set, the diner in this production employs the use of fragmented set pieces rather than complete walls, doors, and windows.  Certain elements of the diner seem to "float" in space and except for a hint of one important color, the grays, whites and blacks of the costumes and set transports us back to the days of black and white television and films. This is a very different looking Bus Stop and a wonderful way to "update" an old classic.  His choice of music as well, which seems to be his final thumb-print and statement on all of his productions, underscores all the emotional elements of this piece and his direction is right on the mark.  Although Mr. Zoldessy doesn't seem to comand as much attention as some of his colleagues, he is one of the best directors working in Cleveland. His work is every bit as good, if not better, than many of the directors working in Cleveland today.
 
Bus Stop, produced by the Hudson Players continues November 9-17 at the Barlow Community Center.     
_________________________________________________________________
Explore the seven wonders of the world
http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=7+wonders+world&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.neohiopal.org/pipermail/neohiopal-neohiopal.org/attachments/20071105/310fa59b/attachment-0003.htm>