Page 18 • Thursday, October 13, 2005
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
In the
Bubble
Sunday, Oct. 16
Twisted Measure fall tour
8 p.m.
St. Martin-in-the-Fields,
Philadelphia, PA
$5
Saturday, Oct. 22
Acapallooza
2 p.m. in the Academic
Pavilion Ampitheatre
8 p.m. in Whitley
Auditorium
$3 for one show, $5 for
both
Thursday, Oct. 27
An Umpire Conscience
11 p.m.
Hambone’s
Monday, Oct. 31
Anonymous
10;30 p.m.
Lighthouse Tavern
$3 if 21, $5 if under
The Pendji[i!2
ntertainment
‘Hot L Baltimore
Mary Austin Slate
Reviewer
“Baltimore Vice,” it could be called, the
same old tale of hookers, hotels and hang
ups. “Hot L Baltimore,” Lanford Wilson’s
off-Broadway smash detailing the daily ups
and downs of the working class and work
ing girls alike, was presented with humor by
members of Elon’s Department of
Performing Arts this past weekend.
“Every city in America used to be one of
the most beautiful cities in America,”
remarks the hotel’s resident cynical prosti
tute, and Baltimore is no exception. The
Hotel Baltimore, once a hotspot in the
town’s glory days, has gone the way of
Day-Glo and disco by the early 70s. The
image presented in the title sums it up: the
‘E’ on the hotel marquee is burned out,
never to be replaced. The Hotel Baltimore is
set to be demolished in a month, leaving its
eccentric and eclectic array of occupants to
find new residence.
Directed by senior Tabitha Tuttle, “Hot L
Baltimore” was performed in the small
Black Box Theatre in the Center for the
Arts. In such theaters, the stage is on the
same level as the audience, and the seating
(usually folding chairs) surrounds the
actors.
The purpose of a Black Box is to facili
tate performances of more intimate, charac
ter-driven shows, and “Hot L Baltimore”
certainly falls under this category. Wilson's
play is full of characters from every walk of
life, but never judges or preaches. Instead,
he allows the interactions between the char
acters, some of them fully formed and some
left unexplored, to speak for raw human
emotions.
Three hookers reside at the Hotel
Baltimore, each with her own distinct per
sonality and style. All three actresses creat
ed colorful characters that were beyond the
stereotypical depictions of prostitutes. Girl,
played by Kate Hilliard, was the youthful
and energetic heart of both the hotel and the
show. Hilliard, who was almost frenetic at
Photos sumbitted
Cast members of 'Hot L Baltimore^ include from left: Jason Briggs, Katie Hilliard and
times, had the most lines and the difficult
task of portraying a character so flighty that
she changes her name by the week (going
from Billy Jean to Martha to Lilac
Lavender). While sometimes the chosen
postures were not in tune with the character,
at other times Hilliard nailed her lines by
using unaffected, relaxed movements and
what seemed like natural enthusiasm and
vitality.
Amanda Taylor was strong in the role of
Suzy, the slightly spacey and often tipsy call
girl with a heart of gold. Taylor was one of
the performers who appeared to be most
comfortable on stage.
Another such actor was Tara Sissom
who delivered the knockout performance of
the night as April Green. Sissom’s April was
beyond confident, with the weathered laugh
and knowmg glance that can only come
from years of cigarette smoking and sleep
less nights with “a cross-section of
America.” Everything from the way Sissom
walked in her revealing outfits to her smoky
delivery contributed to her cleariy-defined
character.
Cary Mitchell was humorously believ
able as Mr. Morse, a crotchety, old tenant
with a temper. College students often have a
difficult time portraying elderiy characters
and either underplay the characteristics of
old age or completely overshoot. Mitchell
I
.ihrousl-'*’
avoided a clich^d performance
use of exactly the right voice a"
isms.
Other notable characters
•Elyse Rodriguez and freshman ^
Some actors toed the line su>^
terization and overacting. One stro
the performers was carrying ^jiicl’
while other characters were
made the atmosphere in the hote
and unscripted.
“ ,htleand=
The aging make-up was sub
tive, necessary traits for the m
Black Box performance. The cat''*'
designed by Amanda Sox,
ing and generally fit the time
Richardson’s set was sparse w c ^
ed to be (the burned out can e
appropriately detailed ^
.00'
of'
was
waa dpprupnaiciy
messy front desk and a stairwe '
“You gotta be crazy, almost, ^
of thing good,” cried one of the ^
the Hotel Baltimore, and lucki ^
me rtotel Baltimore, *— pctfoi
bers of Elon’s Department (ja.
Arts seem to agree with this . joCj
first major show of the year
risk-taking performances, "
mean good things for the upco
at Elon.
Contact Man,- Austin Slate y
pendulwn@elon.edu or 27S-7
;0l'