Inspirational and hilariouSi
Performance open now through Oct. 16
by Tyler DeVere :: tdevere@goqnotes.com
Originally written by Bruce Jay Friedman
more than 40 years ago, the Carolina Actors'
Studio Theatre's (CAST) production of
"Steambath" is both highly entertaining and
greatly meaningful.
Tandy (Christian Casper) arrives in a
limbo between life and afterlife portrayed
as a steambath. Upon first sitting next to an
"old timer" (Jim Esposito, whose character
is reminiscent of Danny DeVito's Louie De
Palma from "Taxi"), Tandy is unaware of
his own death. Shortly after Tandy meets a
ditsy blonde girl (Shannon Wightman-Girard,
also the show's choreographer) whose
trivial concerns carried overfrom her life on
Earth (Bloomingdale's, Mounds bars) are
juxtaposed against Tandy's seemingly more
substantial regrets (strained relationship
with his 10-year-old daughter, new girlfriend,
his next book). Stubborn to give up on his
mortality, Tandy becomes determined to get
a second chance at rectifying the time he
wasted in his life.
When he meets God (J.R. Adduci), Tandy
initially refuses to believe the lowly janitor is
truly the Almighty—Tandy's doubt frus
trates the emotional creator greatly. After a
fewfairly unconvincing and comical feats to
prove his divinity, Tandy eventually tries to
convince God to let him return to Earth, and
that is where the real fun begins.
God is portrayed as a Puerto Rican
steambath attendant who is perhaps slightly
crazy and clearly not all-knowing. Instead of
the wise omniscient figure most of us would
expect, God seems more like a stressed out
air traffic controller — except he's not only
directing planes in the sky, but also orches
trating every other event on the planet.
Adduci's hilarious performance portrays
Wetherall
takes the
stage
HIGH PDINT —"Dueer As Folk" actor.
Jack Wetherall, who played Vic Grassi, is
appearing in the North Carolina Shakespeare
Festival's production of "The Tempest" as
Prospero, which ends on Dct. 4.
This classically trained Canadian actor has
a litany of credits to his career, but cannot be
forgotten in his "OAF" run as Uncle Vic to Hal
Spark's Michael Novotny. His cut-to-the-chase
demeanor can be best remembered with lines
such as, "No sex is fully safe. If it is, you're
doing it wrong. There is always an element
of risk, but one needs to make it as safe as
one possibly can to be responsible, not only
for one's own health but for one's partner, as
well."
The High Point Enterprise reported that
Wetherall is able to adjust his presentation
to the medium in which he is working, be it
in front of a camera, in a small theater or a
large venue. However, he is most comfortable
on stage. He jumped at the chance to play
Prospero, whom he feels is the "great role
in Shakespeare and one of the great roles in
literature," the Enterprise stated.::
— compiled by Lainey Millen
an idea of what might be those "mysterious
ways" in which God is known for working.
Well-conceived and excellently per
formed characters will keep you enter
tained throughout the entire play. The main
characters are hilarious but so are the other
characters who dance, sing and banter, in
addition to bringing the story together nicely.
Including a wealth-obsessed stockbroker,
God's odd assistant Gottlieb (German name
meaning God's Love), two gay men (who are
nude very briefly) and several others, the
supporting cast makes a great contribution
to the show.
Even if certain gay stereotypes or
gay slurs — used in perfectly tasteful
humor — sometimes make you cringe
a little, you will still deeply appreciate
"Steambath." The play begs the question,
what if you died r/g/ifnow? Would you
walk proudly into the light (or disintegrate
into oblivion, depending on your beliefs),
or would you have regrets? "Steambath"
is powerfully profound inspiration to not
just live but do so with vigor and drive ev
ery single day—because, after all, each
day could be your last.
info: "Steambath " is currently on stage.
Learn more about the show, get show
times and buy tickets at nccast com.
J.R. Adduci plays the character of God in CASTs production of "Steamhath."
Photo Credit: Shannon Hager
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Oct. 2-15.2010 qnotes 17