Our Country’s Good Couldn’t Be Better!

Clara Hillier (from left), Arianna Jacques and Jessi Walters.

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

It’s always a challenge to review a show we’ve never seen – or even heard of. With shows that are new to us, we sometimes find ourselves praising the actors’ ability to make the most of what is, in our estimation, a weak script. Happily, Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good, based on Thomas Keneally’s 1987 novel The Playmaker, is a superb piece of theater, and its power is only enhanced by Bag & Baggage’s fine production. Director Scott Palmer and his troupe (nine of ten cast members are members of the B&B Resident Acting Company) have a lot of fun bringing the play’s 22 characters to life, but there is no wacky quick-change shtick to trivialize the themes of the work (although it is, at times, tremendously funny).

The play is set at the end of the 18^th century. A group of convicts, under the supervision of the Royal Marines, have been exiled to a penal colony in Australia. As the play opens unseen convicts are heard reacting to the flogging of one of the prisoners. Some time after the ship has landed, the colony’s governor, Captain Arthur Phillip, comes up with the idea that the prisoners’ rehabilitation might be effected by allowing them to put on a play – an idea that is met with derision and hostility by some of the other Marines.  Despite this opposition (and the awkwardness of directing a largely illiterate prisoner cast, some bent on escape, others in chains or sentenced to hang), the play within a play must go on.  Through their participation in the process, the relationship between the convicts and their jailors gradually shifts– thus illustrating the power of theater to transform the lives of those it touches.

One advantage of a repertory company is that, if the members are carefully chosen, there are no weak links – and this is certainly true of the Bag & Baggage players. With a cast this strong, it is difficult (but not impossible!) to select a few standout performances. Andrew Beck (Lieutenant Ralph Clark) seems almost too much the upright British officer, until one realizes that contemporary stereotypes are often based on authentic prototypes. While internally, his attitudes change, externally he maintains a stiff upper-lip throughout the production. Arianne Jacques (when playing convict Mary Brenham) is especially convincing as she blooms from a frightened and remorseful recluse to a leading lady and paramour to the buttoned-down Lieutenant Clark.  Perhaps the most moving performance comes from Gary Strong (Captain Collins and Robert Sideway). As Collins, he is a vicious, small-minded bully of a fop – the man we most love to hate. As prisoner Sideway, he maintains a curious dignity even while writhing in pain, and the audience cannot help but cringe at the cruelty inflicted on him (ironically, by characters like Captain Collins).          

Among other challenges, the cast is required (because of their multiple roles) to shift fluidly between a variety of accents appropriate to their social class and ethnic background. Colin Wood (Major Ross/Ketch) is particularly effective – he has mastered the distinctive dialects of a snooty Scots officer and a desperate Irish criminal/hangman.

The set, while simple, is remarkably evocative and functional. The huge hanging sheets create the effect of a ship’s sails, allow for seamless entrances and exits, facilitate fast scene changes, serve as the scrim for shadow play, and ultimately suggest the theater curtains for the convicts’ play. A few movable boxes and a cleverly constructed coffin/dinghy/table constitute the stage dressing.

Our only complaint (a minor one, at that) is the expository chanting between scenes. While some exposition is necessary, the spookily pretentious repetition is out of character with the gritty, grounded nature of the play. This is by no means a reason to stay home – Our Country’s Good is very, very good, and should not be missed.

Bag & Baggage’s Our Country’s Good is playing at Hillsboro’s Venetian Theatre, 235 E. Main Street, through Sunday, May 31 with performances Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD

Jake Beaver, Adam Caniparoli, Essie Canty Bertain, Erin Zelazny, Beth
Noelle, Jessica Jaeger, and Nicholas Jaeger

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Beaverton Civic Theatre’s current production, Songs for a New World, is something of a theatrical enigma. Josh Pounders, in his director’s notes, explains that it “has been called, among other things, a musical revue, and abstract musical, and a theatrical song cycle.” None of these phrases really captures the essence of Jason Robert Brown’s powerful work of musical stagecraft.

While there is no plot, or even dialogue, the show’s sixteen songs are bound together by three unities. First, there is place – all of the songs are set in “the new world” (i.e., the Americas, and the United States in particular), starting in 1492 and continuing on to the present. Second, there is a thematic unity – most of the songs deal with periods of crisis and transition in the singers’ lives. Finally, there is a unity of intensity – almost all of the songs are infused with a pulsing energy normally found in just a small percentage of a musical’s numbers. It is this intensity that creates the show’s overwhelming strength and, ironically, its one weakness. Songs for a New World skirts the line between powerful and overpowering, and would be easier for an audience to assimilate if there were a few more gentle or lighthearted moments.

From the moment the audience enters the auditorium, it is clear that this is no ordinary musical. The stage is dominated by two keyboards and a rather comprehensive rhythm set-up, including

not only drums but also a triangle, tubular bells, a maraca – you get the picture. The backdrop is an enormous compass, painted so well that it creates a three-dimensional optical illusion.  When the musicians start playing and the vocalists begin to sing the opening number, Pounders’ success at casting and music director Beth Noelle’s success at integrating vocals with instrumentation are immediately evident – the harmonies are tight and beautifully balanced with the musicians. Perhaps the keyboard players’ respect for their vocalists is enhanced by the fact that both Noelle and Tyrene Bada not only play keyboards, they sing – sometimes from behind their keyboards, sometimes as lead vocalists at center stage.

The female vocalists (Bada, Noelle, Essie Canty Bertain, Jessica Jaeger, and Erin Zelazny) have ample opportunity to shine. Zelazny clearly has the most fun – her take on the humorous “Surabaya Santa” contributes much-needed comic relief, and “I’m Not Afraid” is simply heartbreaking.  Additional comedy comes from a thoroughly unlikely source – Jaeger’s “Just One Step” is kind of like a musical suicide note, but without the usual accompanying dose of depression. Perhaps the single most beautiful moment in the show is Bertain’s “Stars and the Moon.” Although it is a simple and predictable song (kind of “You Can’t Hide Your Lying Eyes” without the infidelity), she gives it a haunting lyrical quality that holds the audience completely in thrall.

The show’s men certainly carry their own weight. Jake Beaver’s commanding presence and powerful voice drive many of the ensemble numbers, his solo on “She Cries” is flawless, and a bit of stageplay between Beaver and Bada at the end of  “The River Won’t Flow” is a tiny, shining jewel (literally and figuratively) in the production.  While Nicholas Jaeger’s voice lacks Beaver’s depth and resonance, his physical presence and vocals project both vulnerability and asceticism.  Add in athleticism when he somehow manages to pull off the jazzy “The Steam Train,” which feels like it was written based on African American stereotypes.  Adam Caniparoli is more actor than singer, and he is most effective in “The World Was Dancing” where his wistful beginning quickly dissolves into cynical ennui.

An unexpected bonus is watching the musicians – especially Noelle, whose intensity on the keyboard often rivals the intensity of the vocalists. She goes well beyond mere accompaniment, and her physicality reflects and enhances the spirit of each number.

Many thanks to Josh Pounders and BCT for bringing this unusual and compelling musical to town – audiences will find it an evening well spent.

Songs for a New World runs through Saturday, May 16^th at the Beaverton City Library Auditorium, 12375 SW Fifth Street, Beaverton, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 p.m. on Sundays.

BELLES (ON THEIR TOES) ARE RINGING AT STAGES PRODUCTION

Back Row:  left to right

Janeen Sollman:  Aunt Leora
Larry Jensen:  Frank
Marlena Starrs:  Ernestine
Alex Hyatt:  Dan
Caleb Kinder: Bill
Tim Oppenlander:  Tom
Rachel Oppelander:  Lillian
Brett Peer:  Mr. Hathaway
Eric McMichael:  Dr. Bob

Front Row:
Isaac Ellingson (he is wearing the hat):  Fred
Beth Self:  Mrs. Gilbreth
Colin Taylor:  Bob
Parker the Pup:  The $5 DogRobert Cartusciello:  Al Lynch

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

STAGES Performing Arts Youth Academy is putting a score of actors - some youths, some adults – on the boards at the HART Theatre for Belles On Their Toes. This sequel to the group’s 2013 production of Cheaper By The Dozen is set a few years later, and continues the well-loved story of the Gilbreth family. William Crawford returns as director of this lighthearted show, and many of the cast members are also reprising their 2013 roles.

Belles On Their Toes shows the Gilbreth children coping with both the loss of their father, efficiency expert Frank Gilbreth Sr., and their mother’s subsequent departure for a six week European tour to fulfill her late husband’s speaking engagements. The children now range from toddlers to college age, and it was fun for us to see how much some cast members have grown as actors in the last two years. In particular, Hannah Solheim (“Anne”), and Larry Jensen (“Frank”) bring an impressive maturity to their 2015 performances. Beth Self also returns (as Mrs. Gilbreth), now burdened with supporting her huge family. While her stage time is minimized by her prolonged absence, she captures the strength and heartbreak of a mother struggling to keep her family together.  We cannot overlook (nor could we take our eyes off) local dog star Parker Pup, once again playing “The $5 Dog” with good cheer and a steady eye on his young handler, Colin Taylor (“Bob”).

The cast as a whole is excellent, although a couple of the adolescent boys have a tendency to overact and could use some extra guidance. Marlena Starrs (“Ernestine”) and Megan Willison (“Martha”) are especially believable as love-struck teens. Tim Oppenlander (as the cook/handyman “Tom”) is oddly placed in loco parentis during Mrs. Gilbreth’s absence; the character’s irreverence and quirky interjections are even funnier when delivered in Oppenlander’s convincing Irish brogue, and his irrepressible mirth after an unfortunate incident with a tennis racket keeps the audience in stitches. Following in her father’s footsteps, young Rachel Oppenlander turns in a great performance as “Lillian.”

In addition to directing the show, Crawford also acted as set designer, and (as always) the outcome is spectacular.  High praise also to the costume committee – all of the clothing was period appropriate, and it cannot have been easy to concoct those remarkable bathing suits! Stage managers Riley Bartell and Hannah Vertner kept the production moving smoothly – no mean feat for a pair of pre-teens.

We continue to be impressed by the important role that STAGES is playing in introducing young people to the theater – as actors, crew members, and most important, as audience members. Cuts in arts education put the future of live theater at risk, but the Hillsboro community is doing a wonderful job of ensuring that local school children will have ample access to theater programs.  

“Belles On Their Toes” is playing at the HART Theatre, 185 SE Washington Street, Hillsboro through Sunday, May 10^th with 7:30 p.m. performances on Friday and 2:00 matinees on Saturday and Sunday.

MASK & MIRROR TAMES THE CURIOUS SAVAGE

Sarah Thornton, Carl Coughlan, Patti Speight, Rebecca Rowland
Hines, Gary Romans, Jan Rosenthal, and Karlyn Weaver.

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Almost 65 years ago, John Patrick’s The Curious Savage opened in New York City – and it has since become a community theater staple. It is easily staged, family friendly, touchingly funny, and (unlike many vintage comedies), it has held up remarkably well, perhaps because it is much more than a series of one-liners and cheap jokes.  In the deft hands of director Linda Talluto, the current Mask & Mirror production of the show takes full advantage of these features. The result is an entertaining and thought provoking production that helps the audience question society’s boundaries between and definitions of sanity and mental illness.

The story is set in “The Cloisters,” a genteel mental asylum that treats its residents more like guests than inmates. Wealthy widow Ethel P. Savage is facing commitment by her greedy and venal stepchildren, who are horrified that she is spending what they consider “their” money on a foundation that helps people achieve their hopes and dreams. Proof of her insanity? Ethel has begun pursuing her own dream of being an actress – what could be crazier? Five residents eagerly await Ethel’s arrival, and quickly charm her with their quirky but harmless behavior. Unlike Ethel’s stepchildren (a Senator, a judge, and a much-married socialite) the denizens of The Cloisters are fundamentally good and gentle souls, loyal and protective of their “family” – the other inmates. Ultimately, Ethel decides to live out her life at The Cloisters, administering her foundation from within its sheltering walls as she learns that the bars on the window really are not to keep the inmates in, but to keep the world out.

Karlyn Weaver (“Florence”) watches over her fellow inmates with the intensity of a mother hen; while sometimes strident and domineering, her presence provides order and security to the others. Stephen Radley (as the shell-shocked pianist “Jeffrey”) is quietly endearing, and Radley’s shy and tentative performance subtly expresses his post-war aversion to all conflict. Comedienne Sarah Thornton is lovably hilarious as the plain and emotionally needy Fairy May, bobbing in and out of reality with a sure sense of timing and injecting just the right notes of pathos when appropriate.

Senator Titus (one of the evil stepchildren) is the slimiest politician in Washington, and Carl Coughlan performs as though he was born to the role. He is apoplectic, scheming, and convincing as the only congressman so unpopular that he is barred from the White House. Patti Speight (as stepdaughter Lily Belle) brings a brassiness that belies her haughty demeanor; we easily believe that she could change husbands as often as she changes her garish hats.

Gary Romans is well cast as the kindly, if somewhat befuddled, Dr. Emmett, who clearly has his patients’ best interests at heart. Jayne Furlong (“Nurse Willie”) projects both the crisp orderliness of a head nurse and an unexpected tenderness toward all of her charges.

The story revolves around the character of Ethel Savage, and Jan Rosenthal is a fine actress who easily navigates the character’s development throughout the show.  She is often funny, always warm, and wonderfully devious in her dealings with the evil stepchildren.

Nick Hamilton and Cindy Zimmerman have outdone themselves with the beautiful set that immediately tells the audience all they need to know about the ambience at The Cloisters. Viola Pruitt’s costumes are inventive, eye-catching, and very appropriate to the period.

Mask & Mirror’s production of The Curious Savage runs through Sunday, May 10^th at Calvin Church, 10445 SW Canterbury Lane, Tigard with shows Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm.

GREASE – A Hit From Broadway to Broadway Rose

The cast of "Grease" at Broadway Rose.

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Producing Director Sharon Maroney, in her program welcome, says a mouthful when she explains Grease’s  enduring popularity: “it taps into the fun and innocence that we ‘think’ was the ‘50s.” Some of us who were actually there, crouching under our wooden desks as protection from Russian nukes, remember a world where the birth of rock & roll helped to distract us from some pretty terrifying stuff. Luckily, audiences today need escapism just as much as their mid-century predecessors. Hence, Grease can still be relied on to draw good-sized audiences, and a production as strong as the one at Broadway Rose is a sure-fire sellout.

 Kylie Clarke Johnson (Sandy) and Peter Liptak (Danny)

 

 

In case someone just moved the rock you’ve been under, here’s a brief synopsis: Squeaky clean new girl Sandy Dumbrowski shows up at Rydell High, still aglow from a summer romance with Danny Zuko. Surprise! Danny is a student at Rydell, and in best “Leader of the Pack” fashion, a bad boy. Sandy hangs with the Pink Ladies, bad girl corollaries to Danny and the gang, but she’s too pure to really fit in (or keep her man). Baddest girl Rizzo thinks she’s pregnant by Kenickie, but it turns out she’s not. Sandy sheds her Sandra Dee image, dons black leather, and dances her way back into Danny’s arms. Remarkably, kids and adults way too young to have ever heard of Sandra Dee or “Leader of the Pack” still flock to see Grease, and they LOVE it. From the opening notes of the Rydell Alma Mater sing-along (a masterful touch to ensure audience engagement) to the finale, a thoroughly multi-generational Broadway Rose audience was cheering even louder than head cheerleader Patty Simcox!

Peter Liptak (“Danny”) and Kylie Clarke Johnson (“Sandy”) are at their best when performing together – their duet leads on “Summer Nights” and “You’re the One That I Want” are flawless, and beautifully supported by a typical Broadway Rose “power ensemble.” The parallel couple, Max Artsis (“Kenickie”) and Claire Rigsby (“Rizzo”) get the most interesting story line and some of the show’s best songs. “Greased Lighting,” Kenickie’s big vocal number, is a triple threat – pulsing lead and ensemble vocals, clever staging, and impressive (if punishing) athleticism. However, the show’s single finest moment is unquestionably Rigsby’s heart-wrenching delivery of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” We’ve seen countless productions of Grease through the years, and have never seen the song performed more convincingly.

“Beauty School Dropout” is an iconic number that is sometimes given more attention than it’s worth. However, the lighting, direction, staging, and unbelievable vocal by “Teen Angel” Collin Carver exceed our jaded expectations by a mile – and “Frenchy” (Emma Holland) is suitably overwhelmed by his advice. It would be criminal to overlook “Mooning” – a spectacular performance by Bryce Earheart (“Roger”) whose falsetto soars as he climbs the bleachers.

Grease done right is definitely a dancer’s show, and this production definitely gets it right. It’s not surprising, since director/choreographer Jacob Toth was assistant choreographer for the show’s most recent Broadway revival. The big dance-themed numbers like “Born to Hand Jive” and “Shakin’ at the High School Hop” are complemented by a steady flow of dance integrated into practically every song; we suspect that many of the actors will be nursing hidden bruises for weeks from all the high energy leaping and sliding!

Not surprisingly, tickets are in short supply, even with the last-minute addition of some Wednesday performances. The small, intimate theater is great for audience engagement, but limits the seating capacity. Buy your tickets on-line soon, and be prepared to be flexible about when you go!

Grease is playing at the Broadway Rose New Stage Theater in Tigard through Sunday, May 24^th, with performances at 7:30 PM on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (plus Wednesday May 6, 13, and 20), 2:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays and a special 2:00 PM performance on Friday, May 1.

THE FULL MONTY Deserves a Full House!

From Left: Tyler Oshiro, Zachary Centers, Brandon B. Weaver (on
floor), Tanner Norbury,  Mark Putnam, and Keith White.

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

While many of their shows are typical of traditional community theater offerings, in recent years Theatre in the Grove has also taken some pretty significant risks (think August in Osage County). However, nothing we have seen on a local stage can touch their current production, The Full Monty, for uninhibited, go-for-broke ballsiness (pun intended). Director Ken Centers and his amazingly courageous cast have set a new standard for cheekiness that will be hard to top.

Based on the original 1997 film, the musical version is transplanted from England to Buffalo, New York, where six out-of-work steelworkers, depressed and emasculated by unemployment, decide to emulate a troupe Chippendales dancers to raise some quick cash. The opening number sets up the fundamental problem – unlike Chippendales stripper Buddy (Dean Dwinn), the steel workers are anything but buff and they really can’t dance.  This is not a Disney show with a “Mighty Ducks” ending, so the second act brings no magical transformation (at least physically) of the ugly ducklings – but the psychological transformation is stunning. Wives, ex-wives, and 1000 other locals form a raucously appreciative cheering section for their hometown strippers when they learn that (unlike the Chippendales boys) the “Hot Metal” guys will go “the full monty” – take it ALL off.

Each of the six steelworkers (Tanner Norbury, Brandon B. Weaver, Zachary Centers, Mark Putnam, Keith White, and Tyler Oshiro) brings a unique character to the stage, but their real strength is in their comic exchanges and in the vocal and dance ensemble numbers.  Tyler Oshiro (as the exceptionally well-endowed “Ethan”) is hilarious in his fruitless but persistent attempts to emulate Donald O’Connor’s wall climbing routine, yet he displays surprising warmth and sensitivity in “You Walk With Me” with Zachary Centers (“Malcolm”). Centers, Norbury (tough guy “Jerry”) and Weaver (the somewhat corpulent “Dave”) are exquisitely droll in “Big Ass Rock,” one of the show’s funniest numbers. Once seen, we may never rid ourselves of the image of Weaver sitting on the toilet wrapping himself in Saran Wrap - but why would we want to?

Of course, it’s not all about the guys – there are several remarkable women in the cast. Alison Luey (Dave’s wife “Georgie”) brings the audience to tears in her beautiful reprise of “You Rule My World” with Wendy Bax. Leslie Collins (“Pam”) conveys, with surprising subtlety, her lingering fondness for ex-husband Jerry. Best comedienne honors go to Pruella Centers, whose crusty “Jeanette” delivers the bluesy “Jeanette’s Showbiz Number” and some great one-liners. However, Lindsey Bruno (“Estelle”) offers stiff competition when she drops trou to use the men’s urinal.  Deven Rieck also merits special recognition for his understated but often intense performance as Jerry’s 12 year old son Nathan.

Choreographer Jeananne Kelsey and vocal director Tiara Herr have done a fine job of whipping their talented raw material into a cohesive, but necessarily still raw and  chaotic, ensemble. The orchestra provides well-modulated support throughout, and they really cut loose at the beginning of each act. Ken Centers’ direction keeps the action moving constantly, with spotlights on small vignettes distracting the audience during scene changes. Lighting designer Ward Ramsdell and lighting operator William Gilbert brilliantly allow the cast to pull off The Full Monty’s full monty without violating public decency standards.

While definitely not family fare (please leave the kids home!), The Full Monty is lots of fun, terribly funny, and (despite some raunchy language) really very tasteful and at times quite touching. Local audiences are not likely to have another chance to see this show, so grab your seats while they are still available!

The Full Monty is running at Forest Grove’s Theatre in the Grove through May 3d with performances Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.

HART L BALTIMORE?

Picture shows (front) Sandra Conlon ("Girl"), Robin
Michaels ("Millie"), (back) Ilana Watson ("April") and Les Ico ("Bill")

By Tina Arth and Darrell Baker

Plays are funny things – some have clear-cut beginnings and endings, well-developed plotlines, and carefully crafted character development. Lanford Wilson’s Hot l Baltimore is not one of those plays. Rather, the show’s slice-of-life single day appears on stage full blown, like Athena springing from the head of Zeus. The characters do not develop – they just are, and the audience is left to assemble their relationships from a series of clues scattered through the show’s dialogue, costumes, and script.

The show opens early in the morning on Memorial Day, some time at the start of the  1970’s.  The once glamorous Hotel Baltimore (now “Hot l”, because the light on the “e” burned out and was never fixed) has degenerated into a single room occupancy flophouse, with a generally motley group of tenants whose lives are in as much disarray as the hotel. The night manager, Bill (Les Ico) is giving all of the tenants one month’s notice, as the tired old hotel is slated for demolition. The tenants seem much less concerned with the impending loss of their rooms than with the day-to-day irritations that define their lives – the grumpy Mr. Morse (Dan Kelsey) is irate because his window won’t close, prostitute April (Ilana Watson) complains about the onset of daylight savings time, and Mrs. Bellotti (Beth Self) whines incessantly about management’s refusal to let her son move back in after a recent jail stay, completely missing the essential fact that there will be no hotel in a matter of weeks. Most puzzling, “Girl” (Sandra Conlon) obsesses over the timing of trains that she will never take to places she will never go.

The lack of a more conventional plot structure puts a tremendous burden on the director and actors. In the current HART Theatre production, Patrick Brassell and his cast are largely successful in capturing the comedy and pathos of the original play. However, on opening night a few characters seemed unsure of their lines, which led to some uncomfortable pauses, interfered with the flow of dialogue, and sometimes threw the other actors’ timing off – a problem which may well be resolved by the second week of the run.

Despite opening night glitches, most of the cast does a fine job of creating the tragicomic characters necessary to capture the audience’s attention, make them laugh, and sometimes earn their sympathy. As played by Robin Michaels, retired waitress “Millie” is the most compelling and likeable of the hotel’s residents. Michaels creates a sweet, ditzy, disconnected persona that nonetheless provides comfort and even occasional guidance to her fellow guests. Les Ico’s desk clerk is convincingly sincere and awkward, blushing like a male ingénue at the bawdy antics and language of the hotel’s three “working girls.” Sandra Conlon’s portrayal of the youngest prostitute, “Girl” (because she changes her name as often as her men) parallels Ico in her innocence, and like Michaels, she is able to deliver the most off-the-wall dialogue without a trace of self-conscious irony. Ilana Watson and Jenn Brownstein, the other two (considerably more well-seasoned) hookers, are responsible for some of the show’s broadest humor and biggest laughs, and they are experienced enough (as actresses, we presume) to be convincing as bottom of the barrel ladies of the night. Perhaps Hot l Baltimore’s most pathetic and vulnerable character is the slightly dim “Jamie” (R. Justin Lizik). Lizik’s deer-in-the-headlights approach makes Jamie’s utter submission to his dominant sister quite credible, and sets up the touching moment at the end of the play when April displays her heart of gold by offering him a final dance.

In some ways, the star of the play is the hotel itself, and William Crawford’s beautiful set design is exquisitely appropriate to the grand hotel’s waning days. When the lights come up, the audience is immediately transported to a tacky but somehow familiar world that most of us have inhabited at some point in our lives. It’s worth the price of admission to be granted a brief visit to a time we would not wish to relive, but that we recall with foolish nostalgia.

Hot l Baltimore is playing at the HART Theatre, 185 SE Washington, Hillsboro through April 5, with performances at 7:30 on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 on Sundays. Adult language and themes make the show inappropriate for younger audiences.