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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">RACE, a must see at Beck<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Roy Berko<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino;
color:black">--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino;
color:black">Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times</span></i><span style="font-size:8.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino;color:black"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino;
color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino;
color:black">--COOLCLEVELAND.COM—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">David Mamet,
the Pulitzer Prize winning author, is noted for his ability to create vivid
images with his use of language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>His writing style is so distinct that it has been officially dubbed
“Mamet Speak.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That fast paced,
direct, in-your-face flow of words, which often forces the actors to overlap
ideas, cut each other off, and use terms that grate on moralist’s ears, is clearly
displayed in his script, RACE, which is getting its regional premiere at Beck
Center.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">RACE, which ran
on Broadway from 2009 to 2010 and featured <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Spader"><span style="color:windowtext;
text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">James Spader</span></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Alan_Grier"><span style="color:windowtext;
text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">David Alan Grier</span></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Washington"><span style="color:windowtext;
text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">Kerry Washington</span></a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Thomas_%28actor%29"><span style="color:windowtext;text-decoration:none;text-underline:none">Richard
Thomas</span></a>, is a thought provoking, often incendiary piece which follows
three attorneys, two black and one white, who grapple with defending a wealthy
white man accused of raping a black woman.<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>As the story unfolds, the characters and the audience are
faced with examining their definitions, thoughts and feelings about race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Mamet has said
that the play is not only about race but “the lies we tell each other, and
ourselves, about the subject.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Because of the
complex language and character development, a production of the script requires
not only a focused director, but a superb cast that works as a well oiled
unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Fortunately, Beck has the
creative and exacting Sarah May as the show’s director.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The award winning May not only
understands the requirements of how to make Mamet live, and the necessity of
finite timing, but how to work with actors to get the desired outcome.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">The production
is also blessed with a fine cast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Justin
Emeka,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>an equity member and
professor of theater at Oberlin College, is compelling as Henry Brown, one of
the black attorneys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He immerses
himself in the role, giving human reality to the part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Tom Woodward,
another equity actor, is at his finest as Jack Lawson, the white lawyer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The character’s personal struggle
between being racially tolerant, and being unclear of his underlying
motivations, is well developed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Aungelique
Scott balances the duality of the role of Susan, a young newly hired member of
the law firm, who has both racial and personal agendas, which temper her
participation in the legal process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Scott has the ability to distance herself, early on displaying a lack of
outward emotion in her eyes and body, that gives clues of what will come in the
startling ending of the play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Her
emotional transition in the final scene is finely honed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Brian Pedaci
does an acceptable job of portraying Charles Strickland, the wealthy white man
accused of raping a black woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Additional arrogance might have helped build a more conflicted real
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This could have helped
heighten the concluding scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">Richard Gould’s
upscale law office set is well conceived, with small details and props creating
the required realism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Jenniver Sparano’s costume designs are questionable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Strickland’s suits and ties were
definitely not the Brooks Brothers quality that would be worn by a wealth man
and Susan’s clothes seemed questionable for an ivy league lawyer to be wearing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino">As is Mamet’s
hallmark, the play’s conclusion, a twist of what might be expected, encourages
the audience to leave the theatre to discuss and dissect what they’ve just
experienced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">CAPSULE JUDGEMENT: <span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>David Mamet’s RACE, under the fine directing hand of Sarah
May, gets an outstanding production at Beck!<span style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> </span>It’s one of this season’s MUST SEE highlights.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-family:Palatino"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Palatino">RACE is scheduled to run
through <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>November 20 in the Studio
Theater at Beck Center for the Arts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>For tickets and information on the possibility of the run being
extended, call 216-521-2540.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--></span></div><div> </div><div><i><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#8000FF">Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info. His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and www.NeOHIOpal, while special features appear at http://artsamerica.org.<br></font></i></div></div></body></html>