mcndsy, prll 4, 1077
:i 12
d!!y nchrs&nn
w3 m
Gingerbread Lady characters kneaded companions
Review By Carta Erssstrcm
Neil Simon and comedy have always
been good companions. Yet when Simon
decided to combine laughter with a more
serious side of life, the result was realistic
theatre in his play The Gingerbread Lady,
The Lincoln Community Playhouse
production runs April 7 through 9, curtain
time is 8 p.m.
A New York City apartment is the
setting for a script involving lines on sub
jects such as alcoholism, aging, homo
sexuality, and love with the traditional
satirical Simon comic ability.
The plot concerns Evy Meara (Patsy
Davidson), a 43-year-old divorcee and
alcoholic, who is returning to her apart
ment after taking the "cure."
In so far as Simon's script is part of
realistic theatre, the heroine is a struggling
one. Davidson portrays a woman in need of
companionship, who still drinks. She pre
sents an honest character that keeps the
audience involved throughout the three
act play.
Refreshing
It is refreshing to see a believable family
experience about an alcoholic mother.
Evy's daughter Polly comes to live with her
mother in hopes that she will stay "cured."
Ann Sandin plays Polly, Through her
character she creates a well developed
understanding of Evy's problem.
Polly is only 17, yet she can accept her
mother's love affairs and friends without
any stigmatism. Sandin has the audience's
sympathy from start to finish. She makes
the audience feel her conflict of having an
alcoholic mother.
Evy's friends include an aging beauty
queen who has just turned 40 and whose
husband wants a divorce, an aging homo
sexual actor who can't get work and a 33-year-old
guitar player who is Evy's ex
lover. The pretense in the script is that these
characters stick together because they are
not strong enough to stand on their own.
Ccr.Hkti
Director John Wilson takes Simon's
script and lets the audience enjoy and
understand thess characters conflicts
through laughter. Wilson's staging allows
for the timing needed in Simon's script.
Through Wilson's directing and the
character development of Jimmy Perry,
the aging homosexual, the audience sees a
non-stereotyped man that cannot obtain
his career gods. Perry is played by Lee
Schoonover, who takes the audience inside
a man that needs friends and affection
regardless of his sexual persuasion.
Schoonover is excellent and his per
formance adds to the overall enjoyment of
the play.
Barbara Wilson plays Toby Landau, the
aging beauty queen. Her portrayal of the
traditional woman's role is satirically
funny. Toby uses enough make-up to keep
Helena Rubinstein in business. Through
excellent character development, Toby
realizes she has more to offer than physical
beauty.
It has been traditional in theatre for
directors to tell actors that there are no
small parts, only small actors. The truth
in that statement is demonstrated by the
minor characters Manuel and Lou Tanner.
Manuel (John Thew) is a delivery boy.
Yet his Chicano character kept the
audience entertained and his minor role is
memorable.
Tanner, played by Rod McCullough,
is Evy's ex-lover. He is on stage for one
scene, yet through his character the
audience understands how desperately Evy
needs love. McCullough presents a crude
musician needing to publish his work.
Considering this kind of crudeness, he is
curiously a captivating character.
The most exciting element in The
Gingerbread Lady . is the Overall artistic
energy that brings the play alive.
y 'LQ)
'i-rtiMl t!bgrW, ill li
rT'WV W . M'V Ml if I
ft,
Chairwoman : Lincoln playhouse
Is Middle-of -the-road' theatre
By Charlie Krig
This year's goal in choosing the 1977-78 bill of plays
for the Lincoln Community Playhouse (LCP) was to get a
balanced season, according to Terry Faulkner, chair
woman of the playhouse play-reading committee.
"You have- to understand it's a community play
house," Faulkner said during a telephone interview. "A
community playhouse is kind of a middle-of-the-road
theatre because you have to make money. You can't do
experimental theatre like the university can."
However, Faulkner said the Playhouse can afford to do
one show that has narrow box office appeal if it makes up
for it with other shows, especially musicals.
The playhouse play-reading committee meets six
months of the year, but Faulkner said it might become a
year-round operation. She said this would allow the
committee to look at plays that become available during
the times the committee currently is not in session.
This year's committee read 65 plays, Faulkner said. It
then met with LCP managing director John Wilson to get
his ideas and recommendations about the plays. After that
the committee makes a tentative list of six plays, which
must be approved by the Playhouse board of directors.
; Paid to direct
The major difference between the Playhouse and
UNL's theatre, according to Faulkner, is that Wilson is
paid to direct the shows the board of directors chooses.
Wilson participates in the decision making but it is not
only his decision.
The commitce is made up of people chosen by the
president of the LCP board of directors and the chair
person of the play-reading committee. Aryans who is
interested in the committee is considered for invitation,
Faulkner said.
In addition, she said one'meeting is open to the public
each year for theatre patrons to express opinions.
Faulkner said the committee avoids choosing what it
considers controversial plays. Instead it chooses "shows
that the average theatre-goer will enjoy." In order to see
.what the audience likes, the committee takes audience
surveys. Faulkner said Lincolnites "tend to like comedy."
She said the committee tries for balance in two ways:
in the type and nature of shows. For instance, out of the
six yearly productions three are musicals (Cam dot,
Jacques Brel and Jesus Christ Superstar), two are
comedies Mister Roberts and God's Favorite) and one is
a drama Veronica's Room). The nature of the show
involves looking for plays that are heavy in neither male
nor female roles and that will not cost too much to pro
duce. Yearly budget .
With a yearly budget of $125,000 Faulkner said "we
don't worry about royalties. We've got the money to get
whatever play we want"
That does not mean other production costs are not
watched. She said the Playhouse can afford to do one
big production a year "but with three musicals you have
to have one lower budget musical." Faulkner said Camelot
will be the big production next year while Jacques Brel
can be dons with less expensive sets and costumes.
That leaves the third musical, Jesus Christ Superstar,
as a bumper that can be done either elaborately or simply,
she said. As a result, the Playhouse breaks even every year
after ticket ssles are set, she said.
Even with all that planning there is still one pliy that
is not decided a year in advance. The celebrity show is
chosen by Wilson and the board of directors after the
availability of the "star" is known.
. The biggest thing the playhouse has to do is
"remember the audience," according to Wilson.
"The university can and does do plays we'd never do
because they're an educational institution," said Wilson,,
listing Shakespearean and Restoration pieces as examples.
"We have to appeal to our audience," Wilson said, "and
appeal to the people who are going to produce the play."
Original concept courtesy of .Lincoln Community Playhouse.
Sheldon displays
'Nebraska folk ar
An exhibit of Nebraska folk art is on display at
Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.
,The exhibits are components of the festival of Nebras
ka folklife and folklore during Plains Week. The festival is
supported in part by an $8,000 grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts.
A wide variety of traditional skills and arts will be
taught during the festival, according to Roger Welsch,
director of the project and UNL English and Anthro
pology assistant professor.
The traditional crafts included in the festival are Native
American beadworking, blacksmithing, quilting, saddlery,
. musical instrument construction and juggling.
Hie afternoon workshops include: Albert Fahlbusch,
builder and player of the hammered dulcimer, April 1 1
and 12; Trinity Methodist Quilting Qrcle, April 12 and
13; Elizabeth Stabler, Omaha beadworker, April 12 and
13; LA. Jorgensen, blacksmith, April 13 and 14; Wesley
Fuesner, saddler, April Hand IS and Jek Kelly, juggler,
April 14 and IS.
up and coming
, Sheldon Art Gallery
Paintings by Dan Howard
1 Photographs by Steve Cromwell
Paintings by Nicholas Africano (Art Shop)
Bead Fair, today
Hlms and TV
UPC Foreign Films: XALA, 7 and 9 pjn. today and
Tuesday
Film Study Cass: Even Dwarves Started Small, 10a.rn.
and 1:30 pjn. Tuesday and Wednesday
Shakespeare Films: Kin Lear, 7 and 9 pjn. Thursday
and Friday
KL-sbinedtlIk!l
Faculty Recital Rorocto, percussion, 8 pjn.
Saxophone EnsembfeTercussion Ensemble, 8 pjn.
Tuesday
Brass Ensembb fZizzs Choir, 8 pjn. Friday
Udcn Prcgnra Council
"New Directions in Prints"-OId Bsrgrn Art Guild,
Union Main Lounge, Tuesday through Friday.
' Lincoln Community Playhouse
The Gmserbresd Lcdy, 8 pjn. Thursday and Friday