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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">CVLT’s fast and light
‘Greek Tragedy’ proves a-musing<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times, Geauga Times
Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
International Association of Theatre Critics <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review appeared in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald </I>on
</SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">12/3/10<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Many influential and
interesting women have been immortalized on the stage.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Slave-turned-abolitionist </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Harriet Tubman (<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Harriet</I>), opera singer Maria Callas (<I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Master Class</I>) and <SPAN class=text>Prime
Minister</SPAN> Golda Meir (<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Golda’s
Balcony</I>), among many others, have been the subject of dramatic one-woman
shows.</SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: windowtext">Stripper Gypsy Rose
Lee (<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Gypsy</I>) and First Lady of
Argentina Eva </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>Perón (<I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Evita</I>)</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: windowtext"> have been featured
in grand musical productions.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Thanks to playwright
Wendy Weiner, former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton has been delegated to a
wacky satire grounded in ancient Greek mythology.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The play, <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hillary: A Modern Greek Tragedy With a
(Somewhat) Happy Ending</I>, had an off-Broadway run in 2008 and is currently on
the River Street Playhouse stage at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The ancient Greeks
had a wonderful way of dealing with life’s great mysteries.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They created myths to explain them.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What’s an earthquake?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Well, that’s the wrath of Poseidon.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Where does creativity come from?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That’s provided by the muses.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Human desire?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Inspired by the
graces.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hillary</I> , our heroine joins the ranks of
other illustrious morals—including Odysseus from Homer’s <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Odyssey</I> and Jason from Euripides’ <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Medea</I>—who have had their fates fudged
and destinies dictated by mischievous gods.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Athena, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">the
Greek goddess of wisdom and war, takes a young, promising Hillary Rodham under
her wing so she can assume her rightful place as ruler of the modern world’s
leading democracy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Out of
spite, Aphrodite, the goddess of love, introduces the ultimate distraction—a man
of mythical charm and, uh, appetites named Bill Clinton.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">If you stop and think
about it (though not too hard and for not very long), divine interference is an
absolutely plausible explanation for the mystery that is Hillary and her
unlikely journey.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Why else would an
intelligent, driven, Yale Law School graduate sacrifice her own ambition in
support of her husband’s and then tragically stand by him during history’s most
public and humiliating sex scandals? <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>What else could account for her rapid
rise from a punch line in dirty limericks to the U.S. Senate?<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Unlike traditional
epic tragedies, Weiner’s <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hillary</I> is
obviously built for laughs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It is a
very silly romp that offers no life lessons to be learned and no significant
morals to be pondered.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Despite the
historical context, <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hillary</I> simply
serves to a-muse and it does so effectively.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Amy Pelleg and Mark
Moore are wonderful as Hillary and Bill.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Playing real-life people in a comedy is a tightrope walk.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Performers can’t lean too far toward
caricature or the play becomes a <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Saturday
Night Live</I> sketch, nor can they sharpen their acting chops and do an
accurate impersonation or the play becomes one big insult.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Pelleg and Moore find the right balance,
and their comic timing is impeccable.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Mark DePompei and
Catherine Remick play the cherubic Greek Chorus (and other roles), and have a
balancing act of their own to contend with.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As the play’s narrative voice, they must
be both erudite and asinine—that is, they need to create the pretense of serious
storytelling while winking and nodding throughout.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They are very successful at both tasks,
although some opening night jitters kept them from being as playful as they
seemed to want to be. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The diminutive Don
Edelman is a treat in his against-type portrayal of Zeus.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Erin Scerbak and Kacey Durbin are
delightful as the dueling deities Athena and Aphrodite.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Clearly, the whole
ancient Greek gimmick can wear real thin real quick if the gags lag and the
audience is given the opportunity to make sense of this silliness.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Because <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hillary</I> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">unfolds
in a series of short vignettes that require minor set changes, potentially
deadly pauses between scenes occur.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Fortunately, </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">under the <EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">astute
direction of Yvonne Pilarczyk, this </SPAN></EM>CVLT production<EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">
moves quickly and pauses are kept to a minimum.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As such, this play flows and is an awful
lot of fun.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></EM></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></EM></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Due to some mature
subject matter (aka Monica Lewinsky), <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hillary</I> borders on being adult
fare.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Feel free to drop the kiddies
off at the CVLT’s main stage for a heaping helping of holiday treacle—the
musical <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Annie</I>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
class=MsoSubtleEmphasis><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Hillary</SPAN></I><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #333333; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">continues
through December 11</SPAN><STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">
at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre’s River Street Playhouse in Chagrin
Falls.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, which are
</SPAN></STRONG><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">$10, call
440-247-8955 or visit <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><A href=""><FONT
color=#015fb6>www.cvlt.org</FONT></A></B>.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>