God’s Favorite continues at the Three Notch Theatre Posted by TBN Editor On 04/21/2018 Lexington Park, MD - God’s Favorite, a three-act comedy by Neil Simon, runs through April 22 with Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees beginning at 3:30 p.m. presented by the Newtowne Players (NTP). Loosely based on the Biblical Book of Job, the play opened on Broadway on December 11, 1974 and ran for 119 performances with Vincent Gardenia as Joe, and Charles Nelson Reilly as Sidney Lipton. It is set in early March of 1975 within a lavish North Shore Long Island mansion (beautifully re-created for this production by NPT Board of Directors member Dave Kyser, and longtime NTP volunteer Linda Sanborn – at least 2 of Linda’s paintings adorn the set’s living room walls; she has painted over 25 sets at Three Notch Theatre). The mansion is inhabited by the pious Joe (Robert Rausch), his long-suffering wife, Rose (Robin Finnacom), the “twinsies” – Sarah (a perky Mallory Turvey-Manthorne) and Ben (a stoic Lewis Beckley) – , “prodigal son” David (Nick Wood), along with Mady (Millie Coryer-Dhu), the maid, and Morris (Larry Silvestro), the butler. The Act I and Act II set depicts a cozy, comfy, living room with a sofa, a lighted fireplace, a well-stocked bar, and curtained French doors. The play begins on one cold and snowy midnight when a suspected burglar (James LePore) turns out to be messenger-from-God Sidney Lipton, who has come to offer plenty of temptations to Joe to entice him to renounce God. Joe refuses, and afflictions result. Clive Barnes, reviewing God’s Favorite for the New York Times after its Broadway debut, described this play as being not one of Simon’s better works. He criticized the opening as “slow”. But the Broadway version featured a collapsing mansion in Act 3 which should have more than made up for the perceived “slow” opening scenes. Simon has said that he wrote this play as his reaction to his wife’ untimely death from cancer. It is considered to be his “darkest-themed” work. A few examples of Simon’s less somber, pre-God’s Favorite plays are Barefoot in the Park (1963), The Odd Couple (1965), and The Sunshine Boys (1972). Among his post-God’s Favorite comedies are: Rumors (1988), and Laughter on the 23rd Floor (1993). The Three Notch Theatre version of God’s Favorite is directed by Rick Thompson who states that the theme of this show is “love and faith”. Thompson first directed this play in 1976 not long after its Broadway run; he subsequently acted the role of Joe in 2006. Mr. Thompson is an NPT veteran, both onstage and behind the scenes, and will be remembered by audiences for his role as Dr. Einstein in Arsenic and Old Lace, and for directing The Man Who Came to Dinner. It is obvious that he has directed God’s Favorite with tender, loving care and with a desire to showcase his talented ensemble cast. He is also a meticulous soundtrack designer and audiences will enjoy hearing selections as diverse as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Love Changes Everything” from Aspects of Love, “What the World Needs Now is Love”, and that earworm pop version of The Lord’s Prayer. As Joe, veteran actor Robert Rausch is impressive in this role – especially during his Act I monologue describing his early upbringing and subsequent wealth (“being rich is as much a burden as being poor”); he is most effective as the tortured servant of God in Act III. (This is his 10th NPT production; he has appeared as El Gallo in The Fantasticks as well as in another Simon play – Barefoot in the Park.) His vivacious wife, Rose, is portrayed by ebullient actress Robin Finnacom, who reveals a sparkling and humorous delivery style with quick comic timing. Robin’s previous roles with NTP have been in The Man Who Came To Dinner, and Steel Magnolias. She is also the Producer for God’s Favorite and is a member of the NTP Board serving as the theatre’s Grants writer. The crux of the play is as follows: will Joe renounce God when disaster strikes? “No!” says Joe. And then his cardboard box plant down by the water burns to the ground. And Joe’s uninsured. “That’s your mistake,” quips Sidney, “even God’s with John Hancock”. After the first Intermission, the action resumes two weeks after the fire. More “plagues” have surfaced: water and heat have been turned off, the phone’s about to be disconnected along with the electricity. Joe valiantly tries to explain his test of faith to his family but they do not take it well. The frequently-drunk David (a flippant, disrespectful, playboy bum with three college degrees, played with a definite swagger and ‘tude by Nick Wood) manages to provoke God into creating a thunderstorm which prompts the return of Sidney. (In his bio notes, Nick describes himself in this role as a “drunken smartass”. He was previously seen at NTP as Dawson in A Few Good Men.) Sidney pleads with Joe to sign a paper renouncing God which will be “officially” published in the New York Times. Even cursed with unbearable itching, bursitis, tennis elbow, and hemorrhoids, Joe refuses to sign. After the second Intermission, a dramatic stage revolve shows us “Hell” in the form of the burned-out Benjamin mansion. A disease-ravaged Joe hobbles into the scene, leaning heavily on his walking stick. Rose begs him to renounce God so that the suffering will end, lamenting that she wishes he just “had a mistress, like other men”. She leaves, taking the twins along with her. (By this point in the play, David’s already flown the coop.) Sidney returns, convinced that Joe is finally ready to throw in the towel, but Joe stubbornly maintains that he will not do so. Sidney leaves for good (so he says). But a few surprises are left to this story as the “prodigal son” returns – along with the rest of the family and Mady and Morris, leaving Sidney to implement the play’s final “twist”. Playing twins so identical that even Mady can’t tell them apart are Mallory Turvey-Manthorne (seen last summer as Jaquenetta in Love’s Labor’s Lost) and Lewis Beckley as Ben, the reliable son. Mallory exhibits her charming verbal and non-verbal skills whenever she describes fantasies of being “rubbed all over…up and down, and up and down”, and Lewis has the distinction of portraying the most “normal” character in the play, a role he seems to have carefully crafted – that of the grounded and faithful son. (Lewis is an NTP veteran and has been seen in Picnic, The 39 Steps, and A Few Good Men). Millie Coryer-Dhu and Larry Silvestro provide the “comic relief” in this dark comedy and are a well-matched team, which is evident from their first hilarious entrance early in Act I as they prepare to attack the burglar with a broom and a baseball bat. Mille, an NTP veteran, has directed, produced, acted, served as Page 1 costume designer, and has been an Executive Board Member and Treasurer since 2012. Mr. Silvestro is known for his many theatrical performances throughout the area and was seen at NTP as Huckabee in The Fantasticks. Four of his children have also performed on the NTP stage. Consistently stealing scenes from beginning to end is Mr. LePore as Sidney - a part that seems to have been created especially for him. His every word, inflection, mannerism, and quirk demonstrates that he clearly owns this role. His timing is impeccable and he and Mr. Rausch, both seasoned actors, share great rapport in their scenes together. James will be remembered for previous NTP roles which include Renfield in Dracula, and the lead in DeathTrap; he was the winner of NTP’s 2009 Founder’s Award. His many talents include directing, writing, and voicecovers; he is known for his weekly Facebook What’s the Buzz with James LePore. He is also a licensed Realtor. Also taking roles as members of the crew for God’s Favorite are: Lighting Designer Sid Curl, who has designed lighting for over 400 shows from NC to NY to Martha’s Vineyard; Properties Supervisor Megan Pobst, who recently stage-managed NTP’s A Streetcar Named Desire, and Young Frankenstein; and State Manager Cara Brzozowski, active in local theater since 2009 with NTP, the New Direction Community Theater, and The Ghosts of Sotterley; Tom McCarthy is Technical Supervisor, Assistant Director is Heather LePore, Photography is by Christina Coffey, and Graphic Design is by Stacey Park. Assistant Artistic Director Jenny Meisinger thanks NTP’s members and volunteers and wonderful audiences for their love and support in her Program Notes. Copyright © 2021 thebaynet.com. All rights reserved. Page 2.