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June 20, 2005
RUTHERFORD ON THEATRE: MU Staging Christopher Durang One-Act Plays Beginning
by Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
Huntington (HNN) — Describing himself as "iconoclastic," Christopher
Durang's plays ring with attacks on traditional or venerated institutions,
which often reflect upon his youthful experiences in Catholic schools
(beginning in 1955).
Admitting the many of his characters have "emotional problems," the
playwright explained that he grew up around lots of dysfunctional people.
Still, drama requires conflict, trouble and working through challenging
difficulties. On his webpage, he answered, "We all have emotional problems
of some sort. Tennessee Williams' character all do."
Marshall University Summer Theatre presents four of Durang's one-act plays
including "Desire, Desire, Desire" (a parody), "Book of Leviticus Show"
(political satire), "For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls" (a take off on "The
Glass Menagerie") and the neurotic, identity jumbling " 'dentity Crisis."
The latter, finds Jane recovering at home from a nervous breakdown or a
suicide attempt, for which her mom chastises yet denies its occurrence, in
any event, her mom more nags than nurses her to recovery. Labeled an
irreverent mix of parody, satire, theatre jokes and nonsense, mom's nagging
leads to a house call from a male shrink who listens to Jane's nightmarish
monologue about a traumatizing youthful "Peter Pan" production. However,
when he makes a second call, the doctor has undergone a sex change
operation, so Jane feels crazier than before her visit.
In the second long-form short, Durang updates and satirizes "The Glass
Menagerie" as "For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls." Instead of a shy,
withdrawn Amanda with a limp, Amanda's painfully shy son (Lawrence) refuses
to leave the house to get a job. Instead, he plays with a collection of
glass swizzle sticks. His brother Tom eventually brings home a 'butch'
feminine caller with whom Lawrence sorta hits it off. New York Daily News
and New York Times critics have raved calling it "hysterically funny" with
"lopsided variations on its most memorable lines" yet "illuminating its
subtext with wickedness and knowing affection."
Running June 23-25, 2005 and June 29- July 2, 2005, the MU productions
feature Brandon McCoy, Laura Frye, Katherine Mohn, Adam Terry, David
Warwick, Glenn Spencer, Jennifer Scott and Linda Barbara Reynolds.
Limited seating available for the 8 p.m. curtains in the Francis-Booth
Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center. Tickets:
$5 and $10. Order with a credit card by dialing 304 696 2787 or visit the
box office M-F from 1-5 p.m.
