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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In case you missed it in Thursday's Sun
Courier....</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=5 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt">‘Timing’ is right for those seeking an obscure
show</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">by Chuck Poliafico</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal align=center><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Correspondent</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The world according to David Ives is a very odd and
obscure place, where the English language is put to the test, words are
recreated and everything is based on timing.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Broadview Heights Spotlights Community Theater takes
a look into Ives’ world with their latest production “All in the Timing.” The
production includes six of the 14 one-act plays that Ives had written in the
1980s and early ‘90s.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Each play takes place in a surreal situation and
includes a young man who finds himself in a situation, where the only way he can
get anything is to ask for the opposite; three chimpanzees talking while
attempting to reproduce “Hamlet” on their typewriters; and an awkward meeting
between a man and woman who are able to hit the reset button (in this case a
bell) if they say the wrong thing. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Each production, ranging from about 15 to 30 minutes, is
a play on words or a play on time. Each production is obscure, strange and
mostly humorous. Even the set design adds to the uniqueness of the production,
depicting Salvador Dali’s 1931 oil painting of soft and drooping clocks and the
cliffs off the coast of Catalonia, which is where he lived. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The production starts strong with “Sure Thing,” directed
by Christopher Bizurb and featuring Kevin Becker and Christine Madden as a young
couple who meet at a restaurant. A small silver bell plays prominently on the
table. Once one of the two says something offensive or rude, the other hits the
bell until the person says something agreeable. It is a reset button in the
timing of life.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For this production the language is crisp and playful
and for the play to work well, timing and speed is critical.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">That is exactly what Becker and madden deliver with
their well-rehearsed performances to begin the first of the six productions on a
high note. The chemistry between the two is strong and
enjoyable.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“Words, Words, Words” follows with Meghan Pierce,
Michelle Pierce and Colleen Shelly as three monkeys who are suppose to be typing
from inside a cage.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“I am not a writer, I’m a monkey. I am suppose to be
swinging from the branches,” says one of the monkeys. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">While the actors and Director Dane Leasure do a nice job
with the bit, it is probably Ives’ weakest of his short plays.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“The Universal Language” is Ives’ longest of the six and
closes out the first act.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Directed by Daniel A. Takacs, the production involves a
woman (Natalie Romano) who wants to learn a new language from a con man (Mike
Prosen) who begins to fall in love with her.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">While the woman actually begins to understand the made
up language where “wen” means one, “cha” is chair, and hello translates to
“Velcro,” the con man tries to come clean to no avail. Romano and Prosen make
the overlong and over the top scene enjoyable and interesting.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The second act is particularly strong with “Philip Glass
Buys a Loaf of Bread” featuring William Goff, Ryan Shrewsbury, Maggie Majercik
and Vick Ungvarsky in a skit where the English language is put to the
test.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Directed by Tim Anderson, the play is humorous and moves
well.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“The Philadelphia,” probably one of the most unique of
the six productions has Shrewsbury entering a South Philadelphia Irish pub and a
waitress (Majercik) who tells him the opposite to what he wants to
hear.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">It is not until his friend (Becker) comes in and tells
him that Black is white and white is black that he begins to catch on.
Shrewsbury, Majercik and Becker are all amusing in this production directed by
Andre Yudushkin.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The plast production “Variations on the Death of
Trotsky” ends strong with John Miller as the Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky,
who spends or tries to spend the entire one-act play with a mountain climber’s
ax protruding from his skull.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Miller is bold and way over the top in his portrayal of
Trotsky, which only makes this act much more stronger. Goff as Trotsky’s
revolutionary friend who is involved with his wife and Karen Johnston as the
wife also add to the fun of this play.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">While many community theaters today are struggling to
bring in a wide variety of audiences, producing many productions that are well
known, or musicals that are overdone, it is refreshing that the Broadview
Heights Spotlights Community Theater brings to the area six one act plays that
are relatively unknown and obscure. </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">"All in the Timing” will not be a production for
everyone, but for those who are looking for a little something different in
their community theater, this production is witty, fun and a bit
obscure.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><STRONG>Tickets are $10 for adults
and $9 for students and seniors and can be purchased on line at
<U>broadview-heights-spotlights.org</U>. Remaining show dates and times are 8
p.m. March 4, 5, 11, 12 and 3 p.m. March 6. All shows are in the Cultural Arts
Building, 9543 Broadview Road, Broadview Heights. Reservations:
440/526-4404.</STRONG></SPAN></FONT></I></P>
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