You wouldn’t think a play about a famous tragedy could be so uplifting.
Nonetheless, audiences will be hard pressed to leave the Clarkston Village Players? performance of ‘Defying Gravity? without feeling good. I have to admit that, knowing the plot, I expected a much more somber experience.
Save for a few minor miscues with lighting and dialogue on opening night, the performance brought a very convincing and slightly eccentric look at the human desire to go beyond the horizon and the setbacks we face trying to do so.
The centerpiece of the existential play is the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and the lives of the people effected by it. Surprisingly though, most scenes have a significant amount of humor to them. Even the serious portions focus more on the human reaction rather than the disaster itself.
This is not to say the play makes light of the sorrow experienced by many that day. Instead, the play’s sudden, if somewhat awkward, transition to the future shows that wounds heal, pain subsides and the human spirit continues to reach for the sky.
Moments that could have been cheesy were redeemed by heartfelt performances. One of the play’s more potent moments features Mel Case, as NASA mechanic C.B. reading a letter of condolence. The letter is addressed to Elizabeth (played by Bec Mariotti), who is not shown on stage at the time, after the death of her mother, Teacher (Jennifer Gentry). Parts of the letter could easily be mistaken for making excuses, but Case’s delivery instead shows a man full of guilt, sorrow and partially explaining things to himself.
Linda Mishler and Ron Goatley gave standout performances as tourists Betty and Ed. Their line delivery told us more about their characters than the dialogue at times. Though never stated, a simple tone of voice implied the two were married quite some time and were perhaps, a bit submersed in familiarity
Audience members may find relating to Ed and Betty easy because, like most of America, they were not involved with the shuttle in any way and were simply observers to the tragedy. They show people in general as we wonder, cry and laugh our way through life.
You may not laugh at all the jokes though, especially if a description of being intimate in zero gravity does not appeal to you. That’s simply a matter of taste.
Then there is Claude Monet (Verne Vackaro), who will surely be the hit-or-miss point for most audience members. Seeing an impressionist painter tell you he died in the opening scene and then continue to show up in random places may be too strange for some. Monet’s purpose is clear, but is mirrored in the more realistic Teacher.
To Vackaro’s credit, the distracting nature of his character is due to writing, not his performance. Monet’s part is mostly philosophical, but Vackaro paints a convincing portrait of the man behind those thoughts.
As peculiar as some parts may be, all are well played. In the end, the characters create an intricate web tied together by our own nature.
Remaining shows for ‘Defying Gravity? are on Nov. 17-20, 25 and 26. Show times are 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for Friday and Saturday performances and $10 for Thursday and Sunday.
Tickets are available for purchase through www.clarkstonvillageplayers.org or by calling 248-625-2511. They are also available by leaving a message via the Clarkston Village Players ticket line at 248-625-8811. Tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the performance; however, availability can not be assured.
For more information, please visit the Web site or call 248-625-8811. The Clarkston Village Players and Depot Theatre are located at 4861 White Lake Road.

For a new performance, there is nothing better than going in with high expectation and not being disappointed. Such was the case with the Clarkston Village Player’s latest production, ‘Sylvia.?
One cannot talk about the show without commending Wendy Hedstrom for her portrayal of Sylvia, the dog. As strange as watching a human pretend to be a dog can be, Hedstrom’s performance was so convincing that I could easily picture a dog doing the things Hedstrom was trying to simulate. At first, I was confused by her decision to wear kneepads as part of her costume, but after watching her leap animatedly around the stage for a few minutes, I realized just how necessary they are.
Not surprisingly, I discovered after the show that Hedstrom is a dog owner. Only someone who lives with a dog could so accurately mimic their mannerisms. There really must have been some interesting character study sessions. To a fellow dog owner, Hedstrom’s performance rang true on a personal level, interweaving the production with esoteric humor for the canine friendly.
Even so, you don’t need to be a dog-lover to laugh at the story of ‘Sylvia.? Nick Szczerba’s portrayal of the aloof Greg humorously contrasts with the scholarly yet uptight Kate, played by Hale S. Wells.
The couple obviously have problems before Sylvia came around, but the dog acts as gas on the fire. Instead of talking about his problems with his wife, Greg chooses to philosophize with Sylvia, who mingles helpful insight with her natural impulses.
A lot of credit goes to Rick Shaw for his duel roles as dog owner Tom and the androgynous therapist Leslie. Shaw’s characters not only supply quirky humor, but also, oddly enough, the voice of reason and guidance to Greg as he copes with his mid-life crisis.
Overall, the humor of ‘Sylvia? is very sitcom-like, but the show’s strength came from the ability to be serious when necessary. Though the jokes can border on the absurd, the somber moments between Greg and Kate are never diminished by them.
Occasionally, the language caused as many laughs from shock as it did humor, but was fitting for the context. How else would you translate what a dog yells at a cat but in words that cannot be reproduced here? ‘Sylvia? is definitely not a play to take the kids to, but grown-ups should find it very entertaining.
If you haven’t already, make the time to see the few remaining performances of ‘Sylvia,? scheduled for Jan. 19-21 and 26- 28.
Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for Friday and Saturday performances and $10 for Thursday and Sunday. The show runs for approximately two hours with one 15 minute intermission.
Tickets are available for purchase through www.clarkstonvillageplayers.org or by calling 248-625-2511. They are also available by leaving a message on the Clarkston Village Players ticket line at 248-625-8811. Tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the performance; however, availability can not be assured.

Normally I prefer to not have everything spelled out for me. Audiences do not need to be walked through every detail of a story and an overabundence of exposition can be insulting.
However, the reverse can be equally disheartening, and such was the case with CVP’s lastest production of Arthur Miller’s ‘Broken Glass.?
Despite some outstanding performances by Mel Case and JoAnn Sellers, the story of ‘Broken Glass? failed to capture everything being saught. The story leaves too many unanswered questions for me to be wholly satisfied.
I liked Case in his small but important role in ‘Defying Gravity,? and he brought the same powerful emotions to the character of Phillip Gellburg. I drifted back and forth from sympathizing to pitying Phillip as the story progressed. Case showed the audience a man who hates himself before he gives anyone the chance to do the same. Nonetheless, relating to his frustrations is not hard, both with the religious intolerance of the time period and his wife’s mysterious incapacity.
Seller’s portrayal of Sylvia Gellburg left me wanting more scenes with her in them. With her illness and growing obsession being the focal point of the play, she was suprisingly absent from a large number of scenes. Seller convincingly plays the emotionally tortured Sylvia and I often felt my frustration was mirrored by her own inability to understand her feelings and how they effected her physically.
The romantic tension between Sylvia and Dr. Hyman (played by Dale Dobson) added to the list of unresolved disputes, but also gives the audience the most insight into what could be the ultimate source of Sylvia’s distress.
Likewise, Hyman is the polar opposite of Philip. Perhaps the only clear conflict is the two men’s attitudes towards their religion. Philip sees being Jewish almost as a handicap and is quick to say so. Hyman, however, barely acknowledges his religion in conversation and seems to dismiss those who use it to judge others.
Ultimately however, Hyman has his own weakness. As the only character who seems to have insight into the conflicts present, he fails to stand firm and help others resolve them.
In the end, ‘Broken Glass? leaves you intentionally frustrated with ambiguity. The audience is left to draw their own conclusions about many things, which I found irritating, but others may enjoy.
Remaining performances of ‘Broken Glass? are scheduled for Mar. 16?18 and 23?25.
Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for Friday and Saturday performances and $10 for Thursday and Sunday.
Tickets are available for purchase through www.clarkstonvillageplayers.org or by calling 248-625-2511. They are also available by leaving a message on the Clarkston Village Players ticket line at 248-625-8811. Tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the performance; however, availability can not be assured.

Absurd. That’s best the word to describe both of the new performances by the Clarkston Village Players. Strange is another good one, as are eccentric, intriguing and hilarious.
Though their plots could not be more different, ‘The Actor’s Nightmare? and ‘The Whole Shebang? brought out the same kind of laughter you only get when watching something to silly to be believed.
I was surprised by the interwoven layers of humor in ‘TAN.? Both parody and slapstick humor blended seamlessly, largely due to Brian Taylor’s timing and facial expressions. Line delivery and nonverbal communication are equally important in comedies, and Taylor was great at both as lost accountant-turned-actor George Spelvin. Two children sitting in the row behind me giggled constantly as Spelvin struggled to recite his lines without looking too embarrassed.
While the occasional eye roll or look of panic gets laughter from the gut, theater lovers will undoubtedly chuckle at the more subtle humor in the work’s parody of theater. Why dread a soliloquy unless you have no lines to begin with?
Carol Taylor and Mike Cavin accomplished the same goal of bringing ‘serious actors? into conflict with the clueless Spelvin. As actress Sarah Siddons, Taylor seemed more aware of Spelvin’s inexperience and becomes downright frustrated with his inappropriate responses. Her first lengthy scene is by far the most entertaining question and answer session I’ve seen. How was China anyway?
Cavin, by contrast, plays the somewhat pretentious sounding Henry Irving, who plays Horatio to Spelvin’s Hamlet and executioner to Spelvin’s Sir Thomas Moore. The difference between them alone deserves applause, but Cavin’s performance will likely make this CVP newcomer a regular in no time.
I don’t know what is more amusing to watch, an actress who gets extremely flustered or an actor who refuses to no matter how ridiculous Spelvin is acting.
Wendy Hedstrom, who plays three characters throughout ‘TAN,? described her largest scene as ‘an amalgamation of Beckett,? refering to playwrite Sam Beckett. Even those unfamiliar with his work may find it hard not to laugh at Hedstrom and Taylor as they stand in trash cans while Hedstrom speaks her lines and stage directions. Don’t be surprised if people leave the theater saying ‘pause… pause…? to themselves.
Drastically switching gears from a bubbly tourist in ‘Defying Gravity? is Linda Mischler, who plays Meg. Meg is both the stage manager and the only sense of reason in the entire play, albeit a very small amount of reason. She’s the only one who seems to realize Spelvin doesn’t know what he’s doing, but pushes him along anyway. Her devotion to moving the plot forward brings out the humorous ‘maid? moments.
One shouldn’t take ‘TAN? too seriously (or try to figure it out) and just laugh at the absurdity. Whether or not the act is actually happening or just a dream is never explained and doesn’t need to be for enjoyment.
With performances this bizarre, brevity gives the stories strength. Both ‘TAN? and ‘TWS? would likely have lost their charm were they expanded beyond single acts.
The all-black backdrop to ‘TAN? vanished during intermission and was completely replaced by an extremely colorful set for TWS. Then came the cast.
Oh where do I begin? Linda Mischler and Linda Payton deserve a lot of credit for their costume designs. Whether or not it was intentional, they added laughs to this play with the hairstyles alone. I love the wig, Vern, love it.
I enjoyed watching Jennifer Gentry Saulski as a teacher in ‘Defying Gravity,? and this time around she took on the slightly bigger role of ‘God.? Kudos for the bravery. Of course, ‘God? is just a geek trying to get a passing grade for her Masters of the Universe Degree. All of creation is just one in a series or projects presented to the Dean (played by Vern Vackero) and his two professors (played by CVP newcomers Beth Egan De Guise and Ernesto Chavez).
I had several professors like the one played by De Guise in college, so her performance made me laugh and grind my teeth at the memory of cynical, sarcastic and hypercritical professors that can never be satisfied. Fortunately, I never had a professor like the one played by Chavez, whose foot fetish and affinity for cows provided the deepest belly laughs for me. I could never have sat through a class with someone so absorbed by the human foot.
Real life couple Linda and Jerry Payton played fictional couple Edna and Harvey, the less-than-perfect relatives of the couple the Student intended to use as examples of humanity.
Even though Edna and Harvey were not what was expected, the Payton’s brought to life two characters that really did exemplify humanity. Perhaps the only serious message of the evening was a subtle one, but important nonetheless. The Student wanted two of the best people she could find as her examples, but learns that common people with common lives are what make humanity what it is.
Remaining performances of “An Evening of One-Act Plays” are scheduled for May 11-13 and 18-20. Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for Friday and Saturday performances and $10 for Thursday and Sunday.
Tickets are available for purchase through www.clarkstonvillageplayers.org or by calling 248-625-2511. They are also available by leaving a message on the Clarkston Village Players ticket line at 248-625-8811.
Tickets may be purchased at the door the night of the performance; however, availability can not be assured.