Hovey Summer Arts Festival A
Subject: Quicktake - "Hovey Summer Arts Festival, A"; Kelly Dumar & Philana Gnatoski
Date:Sat, July 29, 8:20 AM
Quicktake on WHAT WE SAVE & THE HALFWAY HOUSE CLUB
The two long one acts in the first half of the Hovey Players annual summer festival, done basically as workshops, are both long on interesting characters and situations fraught with possibilities. Both however would be more effective dramas if expanded into full-length two act dramas with more attention paid to their structure. Kelly Dumar's "What We Save" would get some real dramatic tension if it broke leaving the audience wondering whether Corri, played energetically by producer Leigh Berry would go to California to confront her first love Lance, played by Ted Batch. Moreover, there would be time to flesh out the other two characters including Lance's wife Sharon, played by Jeannie Lin and Corri's wheelchair-bound husband Vic, played by J. Mark Baumhardt. And possibly, since there is one flashback scene already, the important character of Lance's grandmother, Nana, a minister might join the action "then" as well as now. Director Michelle M. Aguillon gets good performance from her cast as it is.
"The Halfway House Club", whose title might be evocatively shortened to "Halfway", written by recent Emerson grad Philana Gnatoski brings four unlikely lost souls together in an informal temporary rooming house, basically a place to stay for those who've just broken up with someone and lost their place to live. The central role, Samantha, played by the author, is a 20ish bookstore clerk who's been in and out of this residence, Anne, her new roommate played by Penny Benson, on the other hand, has just walked out on her philandering husband of more than a few year. They're joined, by a stretch of imagination by two guys, John Grenier-Ferris last seen at Hovey in "Buried Child", as Paul, a banker, and Jack, a photographer new in town, played by James Tallach. Their various exchanges are interesting, but there's a sense of the Absurd to the situation. The staging needs to be rethought--perhaps move to a common area and some sort of dramatic arc created. Breaking just after the first man arrives would set up a second half, and allow more time for development. J. Mark Baumgarten directs the action with understanding.
The second set of plays, "Fin and Euba" by Audrey Cefaly and "Bob's Date" by John Shanahan were done this Saturday, and will be repeated next Friday. The two discussed above will be seen again next Saturday. Both programs start with showings of short dramatic or comic films by local filmmakers. While the contrast is interesting, live and recorded acting don't blend all that well. The film showings really do deserve their own night.
"What We Save" by Kelly Dumar & "The Halfway House Club" by Philana Gnatoski, July 28, Aug. 5
Hovey Players at Abbott Theatre
9 Spring St., Waltham MA (781) 893 - 9171
Hovey Players
posted by will at 11:35 AM
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