trodding the boards ...from 14 As the smallest and youngest of McCullers’ main trio, Thomas Hellmers blazing intelligence making her too smart was absolutely wonderful as John Henry, for her own good in her provincial home- perfectly layering the boy’s open-faced town, you rooted for her to go off some day friendliness with admiration for Frankie to Radcliffe or Barnard, though she could (and a touch of hurt when she did not probably hold her own with the boys at reciprocate) and a hint of his own eccen- Harvard and Columbia even as her heart tricity. In the smaller roles Smith, Buckley might be aflutter. and Aubry all did fine jobs. But even from a 12 year old, I think we could expect greater shading than Zehner Wait Until Dark at Rivertown gave; too many of her line readings were pitched at the same level. If Zehner deliv- Repertory Theater ered Frankie’s boundless imagination f a thriller thrills, one can fairly say yearning to burst out, she lacked the actorly it’s done its job as entertainment, gradations that such an innate Sarah Iyes? If that’s the case, then Bernhardt would likely have. Rivertown Rep’s Wait Until Dark may not Ambush Theater Editor Brian Sands (r) presents this year’s Ambie Awards donation of $1,700 to NOCCA Institute Director of Marketing and Ambie Award winner Richard Read and Sally Perry, Executive Director of the NOCCA Institute. have been this work’s definitive produc- child’s wearing eyeglasses for the first tion, but it certainly did do its job. time often prompts. As she got caught up First seen on Broadway in 1966 with in the intrigue, Bancroft let her inner “good Lee Remick and Robert Duvall, on the kid” come out who wishes she could have screen the following year with an Oscar- such death-defying adventures every day. nominated Audrey Hepburn, and then Unfortunately, this production’s men again on B’way (disastrously) 11 years fared less well. As the two felons brought ago with Marisa Tomei and Quentin in to get the goods, Gerrit Hagen and Paul Katie Bancroft and Stacy Taliancich in Wait Until Dark Tarantino, Wait Until Dark is Frederick Bello are not natural born actors; rather (Dial M for Murder) Knott’s suspenser in than enlivening their prosaic scenes with which a young blind woman is terrorized some—any!—stage business they just by a trio of criminals on the hunt for a plodded through them adding little sense child’s doll containing a stash of heroin. of rivalry or camaraderie or one- If Director Roland “Butch” Caire’s stag- upmanship or... (Caire must share some ing was unable to overcome the languid of the blame here as well.) Hagen, in exposition and set-up in Act One, by the particular, too often did not pick up his second scene of Act Two, when the plot’s lines quickly enough causing his scenes mechanics begin to pay off, he had my to drag unnecessarily. heart a-pounding. Sure, the whole thing As Roat, the supposed brains behind with disconnected phone wires and thugs the operation, C. Patrick Gendusa was concocting an elaborate ruse to fool sight- simply miscast. As he went about taking less Susy into giving up the doll seems on various personas as part of the scheme like a throwback to the dinosaur age (what, and diabolically threatening Susy, no twittering? no torture?). But as the ruse Gendusa did give an intelligent, thought fell apart and the lights went out and Susy out performance. But as a person who’s appeared to be in mortal danger, my slight of frame, he simply lacked the heft adrenaline was pumping as I happily needed to create the organic sense of suspended my disbelief in unreality. menace that would have allowed him to Caire was fortunate to have Stacy make this psychotic character fully con- Taliancich as his Susy. With her short, vincing. pixie-ish haircut, not only did she look a bit like Hepburn but she exuded some of that Lorena Murry’s lighting paid attention same insouciant charm as well. Blinded to such details as getting a sliver of light to in an accident long enough before the come under the front door before it too was play’s action so that she’s comfortable extinguished prior to the climatic scene. with herself but recently enough so that The proportions of Chris Ward & Eric she’s still learning how to maneuver Porter’s set design, however, were off; I through the world, Taliancich made it clear doubt there’s any basement apartment in that, despite Susy’s sweetness and ten- Greenwich Village with such high ceil- dency to trust people, she’s no naif but a ings. Otherwise, their set served the play quick-witted, tough cookie. And I don’t know well. what kind of preparation Taliancich did for the role, but how she carried herself as a Prior to the show, while I could’ve blind person seemed very convincing to made a meal of Andy Messina’s delicious me. shrimp & corn soup and crawfish pasta Young Katie Bancroft as Susy’s up- alone (they were offered as appetizers), stairs neighbor and helper-outer was very the Catfish Alfredo, Tomato Basil Chicken good as a kid whose brattiness seem- and Green Bean Casserole were all ingly came from being overlooked and yummy. And though Messina’s didn’t plan underappreciated too often as well as the it, their desserts served well as birthday challenging emotional adjustment a cake for me. Thanks! 16 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • Mar. 31-Apr. 13, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • Mar. 31-Apr. 13, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 17 EGM V Princesse Stephaney on stage Presenting Sponsor’s Queen Fashions’ Bronze Sponsor Gizelle Bouvier Tittie Toulouse & Electra City emcee & Jay Cooper Toby changing back before our eyes the star-studded show Starlight By The Park’s Jaded Jade joins the show Mr. LSGRA Denny Summors sings live Toby presents 4 Seasons’ Chuck with his auctioned wig which Chuck won with a $105 bid Easter Grand Marshals X Tony Leggio & Marcy Marcell snap paparazzi Miss Ho Amanda Straddle FourPlay’s Elizabeth Bouvier with her Bobby (Entertainer of the Year & Miss LSGRA) Gizelle Bouvier on stage Silver Sponsor Safonda Peters (EGM IX) & Stuart Nettles Dylan Cox performs Silver Sponsor Opal Masters (EGM VII) EGM X Marcy Marcell closes & Darwin Reed out the show Rikki Redd in for the benefit 7th Spring Fever Raises $1,674 for 10th Gay Easter Parade benefiting Food For Friends at 4 Seasons ~ Metairie, Louisiana King Amon Ra XLIII Paul Davis & Silver Society Page’s Orlando Aloe, Sponsor King Cake Queen Joe Truxillo & 4 Seasons own Toby Lefort lends XVI Tami Tarmac Bywater Restaurant’s Mike Murray his talents Bartender’s Matt & Steve 18 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • Mar. 31-Apr. 13, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM GayMardiGras.COM • GayNewOrleans.COM • Mar. 31-Apr. 13, 2009 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 19 20 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • Mar. 31-Apr. 13, 2009 • Official Gay Easter Parade Guide • GayEasterParade.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM.