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<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="OLE_LINK1"><b style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Funny, poignant, eye opening GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS at
Cleveland Public Theatre</span></b></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Roy Berko</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino">(Member, American Theatre Critics Association
& Cleveland Critics Circle)</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Every era has its controversies.<span style> </span>Since theatre represents the era from which it comes, here in
the United States, attitudes about the womens movement were presented by
feminist plays.<span style> </span>The Black movement
found African American writers sending forth their messages.<span style> </span>Today, with the Gay rights movement in
full swing, it is only logical that some of that communitys issues reach the
forefront.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">Same sex marriage, except in Islamic countries and the United States,
is not a major issue.<span style> </span>Same sex
marriages are legal in eleven countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada,
South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and Denmark).<span style> </span>In addition it is legally recognized in
Israel, Aruba, Curacao, Saint Maarten, Mexico and Brazil.<span style> </span>New Zealand passed legislature
approving same sex marriage in August.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">STANDING ON CEREMONY:<span style>
</span>THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS, started in 2011 in Los Angeles as a series of
fund raising events, when the issue of same sex marriage was in the news in an on-again,
off-again legal fight for legalization in California. Money from the stagings
was donated to marriage equality organizations. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">The 90-minute play, as conceived by Brain Shnipper, is not an attempt
to provide a balanced viewpoint on the issue, but is a celebratory look at gay
marriage, complete with its humorous, touching, and controversial issues. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">In LA and New York, it was presented as a staged reading with a
rotating cast of celebrities taking the roles on any given night reading parts
while standing behind podiums.<span style>
</span>At Cleveland Public Theatre, where the show is presently running, there
is a set cast and the scenes are acted out, with memorized lines, costumes, a
set, and clever staging.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">The script, which consists of nine playlets, is the work of writers
whose accolades include the nominations and/or receipt of Pulitzer Prizes,
Obies, Emmys, and Tonys.<span style> </span>Each presents
his/her unique take on before, after and during the I do.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">The first act consists of: </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>THE
REVISION<span style> </span>Jordan Harrisons amusing
look at how two men go about writing their wedding vows to reflect the limited
options available to a gay couple.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>THIS
FLIGHT TONIGHT<span style> </span>Wendy MacLeod asks
if there can be any hope for happiness when a lesbian couple travels to Iowa to
take their vows.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>THE
GAY AGENDA<span style> </span>Paul Rudnicks sad, yet
hilarious appeal for restricting marriage to that between a man and a woman by
an Ohio homemaker, who is a member of the extreme right wing religiously
conservative, Focus on the Family.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>ON
FACEBOOK<span style> </span>Doug Wright takes on
social media by following an actual Facebook thread chronicling a discussion on
the subject of gay marriage, which starts out innocently and ends up as an all-out
assault.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>STRANGE
FRUIT<span style> </span>Neil LaButes story of two
women who want to get married in the old fashioned way, but are frustrated by
reality.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">The second act centers on:<span style>
</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>A
TRADITIONAL WEDDING<span style> </span>Mo Gaffney
gives a glimpse of a long married lesbian couple reminiscing about their
wedding.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>MY
HUSBAND<span style> </span>Paul Rudnick gives a
delightful glimpse into the machinations of an ultra liberal Jewish mother who
is desperate to find a husband for her gay son.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>LONDON
MOSQUITOES<span style> </span>Moisιs Kaufmans
poignant story of a man who, at his husbands funeral, tries to make sense of
the loss.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>PABLO
AND ANDRE AT THE ALTAR OF WORDS<span style>
</span>Josι Riveras snapshot of two men who use their wedding vows to say the
things that people never really say to each other.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>The
CPT production under the creative and focused eye of Craig J. George, wrings
out almost all of the humor and pathos of each of the scenes. </span></span><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">The scenes
are melded together by creative choreography.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>The
cast, which includes Molly Andrews-Hinders, Maryann Elder, Dana Hart, Stuart Hoffman,
Michael Silverstein and Beth Wood is universally excellent.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>Highlight
segments are:<span style> </span>MaryAnn Elders
sincere, but hysterically funny attempt to make the audience understand the
conservative view against same sex marriage.<span style> </span>Elder also excels as the Jewish mother in her attempt to
find a husband for her Jewish son because, what will my friends think if you
arent married?<span style> </span>She is equally
balanced in that playlet by Michael Silverstein as her son.<span style> </span>Dana Hart induces high pitched sadness
in LONDON MOSQUITOES, as the husband left to grieve his husband.<span style> </span>Beth Wood is properly hyper-hysterical
over the thought of gay life in IOWA in THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT.<span style> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"><span style> </span>The
final segment is the weakest, having a feeling of being tacked on.<span style> </span>It doesnt have the same writing
quality or dramatic impact as the rest of the pieces.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><i style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black">Capsule judgement:<span style> </span>STANDING ON CEREMONY;<span style> </span>THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS is a must see
production for anyone who has empathy toward the same sex marriage movement.<span style> </span>It should be required seeing for
conservatives who dont understand why there is a need for a gay agenda.</span></i></span><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:black"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">STANDING ON CEREMONY:<span style>
</span>THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS runs though October 20.<span style> </span>For tickets call 216-631-2727 or go on line to </span></span><a href="http://www.cptonline.org"><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino;color:windowtext;text-decoration:none">www.cptonline.org</span></span></a><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br><span style><span style="font-family:Palatino"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Lucida Console"">Roy
Berko's commentaries and reviews appear on <a href="http://coolcleveland.com">coolcleveland.com</a>,<a href="http://neohiopal.com">neohiopal.com</a>,<a href="http://artsamerica.org">artsamerica.org</a>,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Lucida Console"">and
<a href="http://broadwaynews.com">broadwaynews.com</a>.<span style> </span>His blog is:
<a href="http://www.royberko.info">www.royberko.info</a></span></p>
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