THE coLuMBus msPArcH I Arts ISATURDAY. JUNE 19, 2004 .C3

IHE SHINS, ANDRE WILLIAMS THEATER REVIEW I ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS Play skims material's surface By Margaret Quamme material rather than exploring FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH 11>- Otterbein Summer Theatre wlll its potential depths. present Anton In Show Business at Fresh-faced Alvarez has keen The lives of those involved in 8 tonight and 2 p.m. Sunday - and comic timing as the innocent theater are rich in comic and 8 p.m. Thursday through next Satur­ and optimistic Lisabette: The dramatic possibilities. day and 2 p.m. June 27 - In the scene in which she meets jaded Jane Martin's arch Anton in Campus Center Theatre, 100 W. Casey is a fizzy pleasure. Show Business, produced with Home St., Westerville. Tickets cost Camp runs away with the pizazz by Otterbein Summer $17. Call 614-823-1109. relatively minor role of Kate, Theatre, examines the lives of finding the heart beneath her the poor souls trying to survive theatrical mannerisms, and a problem-plagued regional Down in Texas, the mis­ Ward is both moving and curtly production of Chekhov's Three matched trio is greeted by an amusing as the mustachioed Sisters and, in the process, emotionally labile costume de­ Polish emigre who finally makes a few points about the signer (Camp), a morally assumes direction of the play. "site ends role of theater in American life. upright country singer turned Hyman, though charming ie rock Intensely driven Kate ·(Molly actor (Camp again), a smarmy and attractive, is a bit light­ e Shins at Camp), the beleaguered artistic tobacco executive (Joanna Jor­ weight to pull off Holly's sinis­ II and An­ director of an unstable San An­ dan) and a rotating series of di­ ter side, and with the exception rothers­ tonio theater, goes to New York rectors. of Ward, the actresses have rsal ap- to cast the play, accompanied Their rehearsals and hotel trouble convincingly playing GREG BARTRAM I FOR THE DISPATCH by Holly (Geneva Hyman), the heart-to-hearts are interrupted the many male roles, Marty Crandall plays keyboard and Dave Hernandez the bass dur­ surgically enhanced TV star by an earnest young theater Rob Johnson's nimble light­ ing the Shins' performance at the Newport Music Hall. who has been selected to draw critic (Kate Oliva) planted in ing takes a minimal set through: in the audience, and by a Brit­ the audience, who complains multiple scene changes, and Bassist-guitarist Dave Her­ for a thin crowd of 35 die~hards. for-hire director (Megan Ward) about the progress and direc­ Matt Christian's sound design nandez seemed as if he would Williams, decked out in a red with some unconventional au­ tion of the play. makes nicely ironic use of rather be playing top-fuel rock shirt and suit jacke_t, was, as be­ dition protocols. The two-act Anton is an en­ show tunes. 'n' roll, not fidgety, intricate pop, fits his music, a randy 68-yeara Holly, in a burst of feminist dearingly ramshackle mixture Anton runs the risks of being as many Shins songs require. old, constantly praising the sal­ camaraderie, insists on casting of farce, satire and poignant sentimental and self-referential, More demure songs such as tier aspects oflove. Backed by a naive Lisabette (Sara Alvarez) drama. Under the brisk and and doesn't fully trust the audi­ New Slang and Young Pilgrims fairly wooden garage-blues five­ and dejected Casey (Katie De­ polished direction of Ed ence to pick up on what is going whose were beautiful, however, and the piece in tailored black suits, Cioccio), causing the show's di­ Vaughan, this production plays on without explanation, but it is its do­ packed house sang Mercer's Wtllia,ms was in fine form dur­ rector to walk. up the lightly comic side of the thoroughly entertaining. r a tight every lyric. ing songs (Bacon Fatwas a up their · The music strangely was rem­ treat). their set. iniscent of so many lost, sun­ Between songs, Uncle Andre _e to be­ shine-pop bands of the '60s didn't know when to put a sock er (Chocolate Watchband, Straw­ in it. He'd start a thought, the open­ berry Alarm Clock), especially meander a while, finish a reepy, the during the rousing So Says I, thought, ask for another drink, lie nug­ which capped the main set. utter words such as stank a few debut A few blocks south, literally hundred times, then start an­ would and figuratively, from the well­ other song. Read Sunday's Arts for latest j Space paid for by theaters. , 1:e evening, scrubbed sounds and sights in All in all, it was a loose and theafer listings. itle touch- the Newport, Detroit raunch 'n' nasty affair, testament to the g were roll legend Andre Williams al­ hidden charms - bawdy and ready was sloshing through his less so - available for the musi­ llEGAL CINEMAS );' -. r,-1 r:·i11 f I-'',·, 1,/MI ', I ,, ., , •'1JMi'f:.'t\" back catalog of almost 40 years cally curious on any given night. i: P~s~ ,-OisCounl Tick~t Rcstrlct1ans Apply BARGAIN SHOWS IN ( ) OHIO NEWS BUREAU INC. CLEVELAND, OHIO 44115 216/241-0675

BEXLEY NEWS COLUMBUS, OH W-CIRC. 5,900

JUN-23-2004 !&9i~~!~st~~: ~~o~~ ~es edge o!,:i~s ~~~~~~~ E~~~~1r Suburban News Theater Critic Three Sisters at a regional are those involving ful as Jackey, the gay cos- seemed sluggish. theater· in Texas, a premise· characters close to the per- tume designer. We don't - This really is a fun play, Otterbein. Summer The­ that opens all sorts of won.; formers' real age. buy her, though, as Ben, the and the dialogue here still atre opens its .2004 season derful opportunities. Best is Sara Alvarez, who handsome country singer. makes it enjoyable. But this with Jane Martin's Anton in ''Jane Martin" is a pseu- plays Lisabette, a young, Megan Ward is given all production seems out of Show Business, a backstage donym for an. anonymous naive would-be actress,. Al- male parts and has her best sync and just beyond the comedy that can be enjoyed playwright. Ru_mors have varez is consistently ener- moments as Wikewitch, the reach of the performers . without the benefit ofa the- her (or him} being someone getic and charming. Polish director. ater background. · deeply involved in profes~; l.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii'.I Kate Oliva is . fine as Joanna Jordan plays a Otterbein Summer The­ I saw the original produc­ sional theater production. : Joby, a young, enthusiastic wide variety of roles but atre's Anton in Show Busi­ tion at the 2000 Humana This play seems to bear! ·REVIEW theater graduate. . still needs to develop vocal ness runs at 8 p.m. Thursday Festival for New Plays in that out, as it is ripe with -----.,------Geneva. Hyman also is authority and stage pres- through Saturday and 2 p.m. Louisville, .Ky,, and it was inner lrnowledge · of the1 . ------• solid as Holly, a self-cen- ence. Sunday at the Campus Cen­ my favorite work of the en­ workings of professional . tered television star wrh· Billed as a madcap come~ ter Theatre, 100 W Home tire colleetion; , Others theater and is a sharp satire . knows the .world revolves dy, .this doesn't play that St., Westerville. Tickets are agreed, apparently, as it re­ of art in today's society. formed professionaJly, I around her. She is believ way. 'I;iming was, off on $17. For·more informatio ceived the 2001 American . I don't c. 01~.par.e ._profes- l~o'Y. that when done . w~ll able in .her self~knowle.d · ;opening. night, and director call 614-823-1109. · Theatre Critics · , Steinberg s10nal productions with col- this is a funny, clever and m- and mampulat10ns, ·al o. New Play Award. ·. · lege work. The only sightful play. showing.a touch of heart Anton follows the trials of comment I would make is I wouldn't have felt that Less successful is Katie three actresses atteµipting that having seen it· per-· way if this had bee~my first· DeCioccio as Casey, the ac- viewing. · tress who's been around the I have long been enam- block. She tries to play dark 6red with Otterbein' s the- and world-weary, but it ater program, often feeling comes off as playing a type its productions are of a pro- rather than having. any con­ fessional quality, with nection to that life experi- skilled and savvy young ac- ence. · · tors. This is the first time The rest of the cast plays I've felt an Otterbein cast multiple roles>with incon- was overmatched. sistent success, The all~female cast inem- Most assured is Molly hers not only play charac... Camp, who has effective ters ranging in age and moments /:s Kate, · the the- experience, but some play : · ·.. _ ..· multiple roles, including ' male parts. Some of .them are making their Otterbein debut or have limited col- . lege acting q.xperience, and - 1t ·c:i hnui'-'! I