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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=center><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>CVLT rings in familiar,
formulaic ‘Belles’<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></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; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">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; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">News-Herald,
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Chagrin</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Valley</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> 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; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">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; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><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; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">This
review will appear in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald</I>
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
8/17/12<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>Mark Dunn’s “Belles,” currently in production at the Chagrin Valley
Little Theater’s River Street Playhouse, is hardly charting unfamiliar waters.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>This
play’s storytelling about sisterhood is so similar in tone and temperament to
“</SPAN><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Steel
Magnolias” and “The Dixie Swim Club,” </SPAN></EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>as well
as the films </SPAN><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">“Fried
Green Tomatoes” and “</SPAN></EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Divine
Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood,” t</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>hat
déjŕ vu washes over the audience as thickly as the play’s blatant
sentimentality.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>From the opening
lines to the closing moments, there is the sensation that you’ve been told this
tale before.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>Each of
these stories is about </SPAN><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">close-knit
southern women—sisters by blood or circumstance—who drift apart and are then
drawn back together to overcome some significant obstacle.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></EM></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></EM></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">“Belles”</SPAN></EM><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"> is about six Memphis-born adult
sisters who have scattered to different parts of the country after the death of
their abusive father and estrangement from their high-maintenance mother.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They have developed coping mechanisms to
deal with their problematic past that are as different as the sisters themselves
and are no longer working as planned.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black">Each of these stories
tries to blend comedy with tragedy, offer cohesion </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN>amidst
adversity</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black">,
and play with emotion as if it were a piano.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They do so with varying degrees of
success.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><FONT size=3>“Belles” is
among the least successful, offering barbs, one-liners and terms of endearment
that are more clever and scripted than sincere or sisterly.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The writing is particularly artificial
where it is most needed to be honest, and is imbalanced across the two hour-long
acts. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When the writing is good, and
it is upon occasion, this play soars.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>Each of these stories
fully embraces the notion that misery loves company, resulting in non-stop
self-disclosure by every woman in them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The women tend to be conveniently situated in places conducive to baring
their souls—beauty shops, beaches or flashbacks—and the most common topic of
discussion is the men in their lives, who are rarely seen and even more rarely
portrayed in a flattering light.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><FONT size=3>In “Belles,” men are
frequently mentioned but never seen and all the disclosure takes place over the
telephone during intimate, isolated conversations between the sisters.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: black">Director Barbara Rhoades
has extensive </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN>experience with sisterhood plays, including CVLT’s brilliant production
of </SPAN><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">“The
Dixie Swim Club,” and has had great success in recognizing and giving life to
their formulaic conventions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>“Belles” presents some challenges that, as of last week’s preview
performance, have only been partially overcome.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></EM></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-style: italic"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></EM></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">While phone conversations make for a
novel narrative device, the lack of eye-contact and physical interaction between
the performers does not make for great theater in general or this brand of
dramedy in particular.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That is,
unless the performers create truly endearing characters capable of being
interesting all on their own and all of the time.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>Yvonne Pilarczyk, Denise Larkin, Claudia Lillibridge, Jenny Barrett,
Macey Staninger and Sarah Doody shine in this play, although some shine brighter
and more often than others.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Several
scenes have an uneven feel when only one performer seems to be carrying the
conversation.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A few dull, restless
moments occur when neither does.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>The limitations of the River Street Playhouse facility further confound
the production of this play.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>With
lighting too ill-equipped to isolate only those sisters involved in a
conversation, extraneous parts of the small stage and those who occupy them are
clearly visible.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This draws
attention and is a huge distraction. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If a tad early or late, light cues for
the play’s 39 phone conversations run the risk of throwing off the comic and
dramatic timing of the performers, which throws this production into a
tailspin.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
size=3>Given the talent behind and on the stage, this CVLT production should
continue to get tighter and more refined with each performance.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And, while “Belles” is a highly
formulaic piece of work, it will surely find an audience among those who find
comfort in the familiar and get pleasure from the predictable.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p><FONT size=3> </FONT></o:p></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">“Belles<SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">” c</SPAN>ontinues through August 25
<STRONG><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">at the Chagrin Valley
Little Theatre’s River Street Playhouse, </SPAN></I></STRONG><SPAN
style="COLOR: black">40 River Street, Chagrin Falls</SPAN><STRONG><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>For tickets, which are
</SPAN></I></STRONG>$10, call 440-247-8955 or visit <B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><A href=""><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.cvlt.org</FONT></A></B>.</SPAN></I><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><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></I></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN"
lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>