'dimmy Dean' is ~ confusing~ confusing Plays with repetitional titles seem to be the "in" thing in Charleston these days. While the Charleston Alley Theatre was do­ Carl ing "Romance/Romance" (re­ Lebovitz cently reviewed reviewed), EIU's theatre arts department was Lebovitz is putting on "Come Back to the 5 & reviewer-at­ Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy large for the Dean," in the Studio Theatre. Journal Gazette and Times­ "Jimmy Dean," by Ed Graczyk, Courier. lasted or 16 previews and 52 per­ formances on Broadway in 1982 and is notable mainly for the fact pride in her big breasts; Juanita, that it was the vehicle for film di­ the pious widow who runs the rector Robert Altman's Broad­ store; Stella May, the boastful way debut as a stage director and wife of a rich Texas oilman; Edna Cher's debut as a stage actress .. Louise, a mousey mother of six . The play is about the reunion of now going on her seventh. And, a now defunct James Dean fan suddenly reemerging after all by double-casting the principals of the time looking mysterious club on the 20th anniversary ofhis these years, there's Joanne, come '-an approach taken by Eastern's and sullen, conveying little of her death. It's sort of a small-town for her moment of truth. director, Marjorie A. Duehmig, hurtandWeltschmerz. The focus, women's version of O'Neill's "The The play keeps shifting back with one set of actors for 1975 and as a result, shifted to some of the Iceman Cometh," with each and forth between 1975 and Sept. another for 1955, except for Mona, secondary characters, notably woman forced to shed her illusions 30, 1955, the day Dean was killed played in both instances by Amy Kathleen Craven's strutting, and reveal the truth about herself. in a car crash. The 1955 segments Sherwood. A bi-Ievel set is used hard-edged Sissy and Jennifer Its "iceman" is a member of the add a few more of the actor's "dis­ with the 1975 action taking place Shields'tight-facedJuanita(with group who left town long ago and ciples," including Joe, a sad young downstage and the 1955 action . the best Texas drawl of the lot). now returns to gradually strip man who was gang raped after upstage on an upper level con­ The 1975 Stella May was away their lies and pretensions. dressing up as a girl for a high cealed by a scrim bearing a huge . played by Amelia Heape and the The time is Sept. 30, 1975, the school dance. portrait of Dean. With the actors 1955 version by Steffani Fort, the place the Kressmont Five and In the 'original Broadway pro­ ofthe '55 and '75 ensembles all two Edna Louises by Kerry Ko­ Dime Store in McCarthy, Texas. duction, as well as the 1982 movie about the same age, however, and lasinski and Patricia Rohan, and It was near McCarthy that parts version, also directed by Altman, with Mona wandering back and the 1955 Sissy and Juanita by Su­ ofDean's last movie "Giant," were the same actors played both the forth between them, some confu­ san Palchak and Katie Valentine, filmed in 1955. There are the 1955 and the 1975 versions of sion is still inevitable, and nothing respectively. As Joe, Geoff Cowgill usual disparate types - Mona, their characters, without any at­ can be done about the play's long­ did a goodjob oflooking like Dean. who was chose to be an extra in tempt to make them look younger windedness except pruning. The dreary, run-down lunch "Giant" and claims that she had or older. Instead, Altman relied on The central characters in counter set, with an old jukebox ex wit Dean one hot summer lighting, mirrors and the acting "Jimmy Dean" are Mona and and scads of Dean photos, was by night and bore his son, Jimmy skills of the cast. This made for a Joanne. Sherwood's Mona C" P. Blanchette. Mary Dean; Sissy, the waitress at the certain awkwardness and confu­ seemed more a dazed teenager Yarbrough's period costumes five-and-dime lunch counter, an sion. Some subsequent produc­ than a poignant, repressed, delu­ looked right. The lighting was by ging good-time girl who takes tions have tried to overcome this sionary woman, and Melissa David Wolski and the sound by Copoulos, as Joanne, spent much Theresa Hoffmeyer. .