No Woolf Fear for Marr and Markey
Circle Theatre Tackles Albee Classic
As the summer musicals blossom in the burbs and comic book characters pack onomatopoetic punches at the Shelterbelt, the Circle Theater asks the question, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Apparently Mike Markey and Laura Marr fear not the Edward Albee classic because they’re playing George and Martha, the acid-tongued couple once performed by Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. Director Denise Chapman also has Haley Haas and Vernon Wheeler as Honey and Nick, the younger pair subjected to their escalating venom.
Call it serious social comedy or whatever, by any name it’s hard to think of another 4-person play that topped it for bristling dialogue in the 50 years since it opened on Broadway. (It’s back there again, by the way.)
The latest play to touch on Virginia Woolf as intimidator popped up when we visited Dublin’s Abbey Theatre in February. In Bernard Farrell’s Bookworms, the women invited spouses, including one hubby who’ll discuss Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” but not the big bad Woolf’s “To the Lighthouse.”
The Albee Woolf runs July 13-28 with dinner at 6:30 p.m., performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sunday, July 22. Show only tickets are $15, $12 seniors and $10 students, plus $10 in each category for dinner. Call 402.553.4715 or visit dlmarr@cox.net.
Speaking of those suburban songfests, if you’re tired of hearing it said that “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” try this one: Anything Goes in Ralston.
Maybe that’s not generally true, but the Cole Porter musical of that title continues at the Ralston Performing Arts Center, 8969 Park Drive, through Sunday, July 22. Todd Uhrmacher directs an ocean-cruise bound cast that includes Meredith McAdams as Reno Sweeney and Jon Flower as Billy Crocker.
Call 402.895.6662 for information. Tickets cost $18, $15 for seniors and students, $10 for groups of 10 or more. If you’ve lost track of this old favorite, it’s worth noting that one of the original co-authors was an all-time great humorist, P.G. Wodehouse, and the memorable songs include not only the title number but “You’re the Top” (You’re the Tower of Pisa) and “I Get a Kick Out of You” (but I get no kicks from champagne, etc.).
Check this column later for our take on the upcoming Theatre Arts Guild awards. And let me know what you think of Crash! Boom! Pow! at the Shelterbelt.
Cold Cream looks at theater in the metro area. Email information to coldcream@thereader.com.
posted at 03:30 pm
on Friday, July 06th, 2012
