Local theater groups gear up for January shows
By Lorin Buck
A fairy tale character gets sued for breaking and entering. A bride undergoes an unsettling transformation after saying "I do." A "nice guy" headed for the altar hooks up with five ex-girlfriends. A famous composer parties his way through life. Scientists at the dawns of two centuries struggle with human values.
That, in a nutshell, sums up the choices for theater-goers this month. Which will you pick?
'Goldilocks on Trial'
This comedy by Chantilly High School theater teacher and professional playwright Ed Monk pits the petite blond defendant (Goldilocks) against the prosecuting Bear family, who want their day in court.
They seek to recoup their losses after she trespassed in their home, stole their porridge and shattered their chair. Goldilocks proclaimed everything “just right,” but the Bears don't agree and present their grievances at trial.
The story unfolds in the courtroom through a series of flashbacks, said producer and The Alliance Theatre co-founder Elaine Wilson.
A jury made up of volunteers from the audience will hear both sides of the case. To choose "the victims – er, jurors – we will ask the audience questions," Wilson said. “And we will be totally biased in our selections.”
This play is produced by a joint arrangement between The Alliance Theatre and Mountain View High School in Centreville.
'Prelude to a Kiss'
To say too much about this romantic comedy by Craig Lucas would run the risk of spoiling it.
"Let's just say this is about a relationship," said Suzanne Maloney, director of the Vienna Theatre Company production. It's about changes and the message that "love is love."
The vow "for better or for worse" is tested when the bride, after sharing a first kiss with her groom and a second with a wedding guest, undergoes a life-altering change. But the groom and the other wedding guests don't know it – at least not at first.
Mature themes about love and commitment make this play "equivalent to a PG-13," Maloney said. "It's for adults."
'Some Girl(s)'
Playwright Neil LaBute has a reputation for writing edgy contemporary material that reveals painful vulnerabilities in intimate relationships. "Some Girl(s)" is true to form.
Some of his dialog is so revealing, said Susan Devine, director of the 2nd Flight Productions play, "that I think, 'I shouldn't be listening to this.'"
"Some Girl(s)" is a simple story: "A guy in his early 30s – smart, funny, good looking, nice guy, charismatic, pretty successful – gets a little bit of cold feet" before setting off down the aisle, Devine said. He contacts five old girlfriends to look for patterns in his relationships with women.
"He comes to a horrible realization and a wonderful revelation," Devine said.
This play for mature audiences is fresh off Broadway; it closed just last spring. "We got really lucky," said Devine – 2nd Flight will be one of the first companies in the nation to produce it.
'Red Hot & Cole'
The extravagant life of prolific American composer and songwriter Cole Porter ("Kiss Me, Kate," "Anything Goes") is portrayed in this musical presented by the McLean Community Players.
Cole Porter, a closeted gay man, and his wife, Linda, are seen interacting with their famous friends – among them, actors Noel Coward and Ethel Merman – amid "the constant partying at the Porter residence," said producer Leah Aspell. Three tuxedoed on-stage musicians keep the Cole Porter standards humming.
The story hinges on Porter's 1937 horseback riding accident when he nearly lost the use of his legs. During the aftermath, he had an opportunity to reflect, Aspell said, which led to some of his best work.
"Critics felt 'Kiss Me, Kate' [which he wrote in 1948] really put him back among the American greats."
'An Experiment with an Air Pump'
Medical ethics, passion versus love, the evolving role of women and the aims of science consume this darkly humorous play set in both 1799 and 1999.
The arrival of the Industrial Age and later the age of biotechnology delivers troubling moral dilemmas along with scientific breakthroughs. But it appears the more things change, the more the human spirit stays the same.
A house in the English countryside in which both sets of characters live bridges the two eras, said Reston Community Players producer Sue Pinkman, and "a mystery is involved between the centuries."
"It's an English comedy ... with snappy dialog and dry humor," as well as mature content, Pinkman said. "It's an intellectual, thinking kind of show."
For dates, venue and ticket information, see the box at left.