[NEohioPAL] Final Weekend for Critically Acclaimed GIRL'S GUIDE TO COFFEE at Actors' Summit WSL Review

[Neil Thackaberry]

*Actors’ Summit staging ‘hit’ with ‘Girls Guide to Coffee’*

*3/8/2012 - West Side Leader*

*By David Ritchey*




*
*

DOWNTOWN AKRON — Actors’ Summit Theater has a charming new hit on its stage
— “A Girl’s Guide to Coffee.”

In about 90 minutes, Cleveland playwright Eric Coble turns the coffee-shop
atmosphere into a philosophy of life. The focus of the story is on Alex and
her co-workers at the Steamed Bean Coffee Shop.


Alex is a young barista faced with the difficult transition from college to
whatever comes next. Surrounded by her roommate, her boss and her parents,
she shies away from committing to one path for her future until a
life-changing moment and a new love come into her world.


The production is stylized in so many ways that make it work for the cast
and audience. However, the set is visually exciting with many realistic
touches on loan from Angel Falls Coffee Shop in Highland Square.


Director Constance Thackaberry has done an excellent job in helping her
performers with character development. For example, I’ve reviewed Alex Nine
in many shows over the years. But only when I got home and studied the
program did I realize Nine was playing the father. In addition, she keeps
the show moving at a quick, energetic pace.


However, it’s Margo Chervony as Alex whose performance is worth the price
of admission. She is in every scene and seldom leaves the playing area. Of
course, the playwright gave her a star’s turn in this script. But, she’s up
to everything the playwright wrote for her — dealing with difficult
customers, slowly selecting a man she’d like to date. She plays an
emotional roller-coaster without a moment of panic or discomfort for the
audience.


Mark Leach (Christopher) plays one of the regulars at the Steamed Bean. The
playwright lets his character evolve throughout the play. He seems to be a
walk-on role at the beginning of the play, but by the final scenes he has
become a leading man. Leach is a fine actor.


Coble gives Alex a speech at the end of the play, which is an example of
good writing, and Chervony delivers that speech revealing once again what a
good actress she is. In the lines, Alex explains what she has learned
working. Of course, this speech contains her philosophy of life.


“A Girl’s Guide to Coffee” will continue through March 11 at Greystone
Hall, 103 S. High St. For ticket information,
call             330-374-7568      .

*David Ritchey has a Ph.D. in communications and is a professor of
communications at The University of Akron. He is a member of the American
Theatre Critics Association.*
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