Chester Theatre Group

By Sheila Abrams (njartsmaven.com)

“If he killed the fatted calf, you would complain about the cholesterol,” says Ann Stevens to her son, John, about his relationship with his father. The uncomfortable relationship between father and son is only part of the dysfunctional family dynamic that is at the heart of A.R. Gurney’s witty comedy of manners, “The Cocktail Hour,” running through Nov. 20 at the Black River Playhouse in Chester.

The play, a production of the Chester Theatre Group, has been adroitly directed by Annandale resident Cindy Alexander.

“The Cocktail Hour” is also the name of a play within the play that sets things in motion. John, a playwright who has already had some commercial success, has come home to Buffalo, N.Y., to ask his parents’ permission to produce his new opus. It is, he explains, about them.

His parents are, of course, understandably aghast. Are their foibles and family secrets, such as they may be, to be paraded in front of just anyone who buys a ticket? While offstage, dinner seems to be indefinitely delayed, the alcohol flows, along with both revelations and recriminations.

Ann and Bradley are predictably upset with the turn society has taken as they perceive it. They see their culture, their values, their very way of life being judged and found wanting. In the theater, people shout at each other and take their clothes off!

When daughter Nina arrives, further sibling conflict emerges, some of which is confusing and seems to make little sense. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of family interactions in real life are confusing and make little sense. Gurney, who seems to have based the play on his own family, really delivers a slice of life.

This slice of life, however, is some improvement on the real thing. The Stevens family is funny, intentionally or not. The dialogue is witty and clever. A passage where Ann and Bradley show how their 50-year relationship has rendered them able to finish one another’s sentences is delicious, when performed by two of the brightest stars in the CTG firmament: the wonderful Michael Foley and the eternally gorgeous Penny Hoadley. It’s as if Gurney created the roles with them in mind.

Standing in for Gurney himself, Stephen Catron gives John just the right touch of irony. He is a successful playwright. One of his earlier plays starred Swoosie Kurtz, an actress with whom Bradley is somewhat smitten. Nevertheless, his parents seem to take his playwriting as some sort of hobby. Not a real career. Bradley demands to know how much John stands to earn from “The Cocktail Hour,” and offers him a check for $20,000 not to produce it.

As Nina, Donne Petito is operating for the most part in an emotionally over-the-top mode. The oldest of the Stevens children and the only girl, she carries with her a lot of grievances, not the least of which is the sense of obligation to her parents. Her life’s passion, dogs, and particularly Seeing Eye dogs, seems appropriate for someone with her emotional affect. By the way, being a Morris County resident, I am astonished that nobodyever told Gurney that “Seeing Eye dog” is not a generic term for “trained service dog.” He has Nina wanting to go to Cleveland to work with Seeing Eye dogs, rather a long commute to Morristown, where she would actually have to go. Just a little Garden State nitpicking, but we should get credit where it’s due.

We also ought to mention the extremely handsome set which Stephen Catron designed. It’s always impressive to see how CTG’s scenic artists use
their limited space. In this case, three of the four corners of the performing space are used to superb purpose, one of them especially forming an entry way to the house. The Stevens’ classy living room (drawing room?) is spot on.

This is a stimulating evening. Gurney set the play in 1975, but Ann and Bradley, or the people they represent, are still with us. If they were unhappy about the people yelling at each other and taking their clothes off, what would they say about the Kardashians and “Jersey Shore”?

For information and reservations, call CTG at (908) 879-7304 or visit www.chestertheatregroup.org.”

PHOTO: Penny Hoadley and Michael Foley by Lamont Hill

Please read njartsmaven.com  and  njfootlights.com

Ruth Ross over at nj arts maven had some very very nice things to say about our current production of Grey Gardens:

Once again, Chester Theatre Group has tackled a challenging play, pulled out all the stops and given us a Broadway-quality musical—all without one single Actors Equity performer in the cast! … That the actors are superb raises the performance and production level way above what one might expect from community theater, but it is in line with what the  Chester Theatre Group usually gives us. Although neither Bouvier Beale woman achieved a successful career as a singer/actress, Barbara Haag who gets to play both the matriarch Edith and her daughter Edie, is certainly a class act. In the first act, Haag is imperious and manipulative as Big Edith, planning her daughter’s party to the last detail while planning to hijack the festivities for her own ends. In the second act, she’s Little Edie, giving weird pronouncements about fashion, complaining about having to come home to care for her mother, and just being an all-around drama queen. She takes hold of the audience by the throats in both acts and knocks ‘em down with an absolutely marvelous performance as both women. If she doesn’t win an award from NJACT, I don’t know what will.

Tickets are still available, but going fast, so reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the box office at 908.879.7304

Ruth Ross over at NJ Arts Maven has given our current production of Fiction a rave review.

Some choice paragraphs:

It is ironic that a play about writing fiction—that is, made-up, invented stories—should ring so true, but that’s what happens at the Chester Theatre Group’s Fiction by Stephen Dietz. Directed by Jeff Knapp and featuring just three actors, this production possesses an intimacy and a freshness so natural and convincing that it feels like we’re watching real life unfold before our very eyes.

[...]

The Chester Theatre Group was nominated for a rash of Perry Awards in 2010 (eleven, I believe), and it’s clear that this production should nail a few more this year. Fiction is a thought-provoking play about the lies we tell ourselves, the lies we tell each other and, in the case of professional authors, the lies that get turned into best-selling novels. It is also a play about marriage, trust and truthfulness, and just how much of the latter we are obligated to share with our spouse/partner. Perhaps some things are best left hidden.

Read the full review here.

Ruth Ross over at NJ Arts Maven has written a very flattering review of our annual (except when its not) “Songs of a Summer Night”.  A brief excerpt:

 What do you get when you “marry” 25 glorious voices—each of them soloist quality—and terrific musical arrangements and accompaniment? Well, you get Songs of a Summer Night at the Chester Theatre Group’s Black River Playhouse. But don’t wait to get tickets; this blockbuster of a musical evening runs only through Sunday, July 25, and you’ll be sorry if you miss it.

[...]

All in all, Songs of a Summer Night is a show to lift your spirits, spirits that might be drooping under the summer heat and humidity outside. This refreshing show (performed in an air-conditioned theater, to boot) is not-to-be-missed!

Thanks, Ruth!

Songs of a Summer Night runs one more weekend, closing this coming Sunday.  Tickets are $20 and reservations (strongly recommended!) can be made by calling 908.879.7304.

See you there!

Ruth Ross of the Recorder Newspapers had so many wonderful things to say about our current production of Triumph of Love that we’re having a hard time pulling out the best bits.

Better you should just go read the whole wonderful review.

Some highlights:

“By definition, a farce is a silly play, but marry it to lush melodies gloriously sung by seven very talented actors, lots of double entendres and superb physical comedy and you have the delectable confection that is “Triumph of Love,” currently receiving a triumphant production by the Chester Theatre Group.”

“Musical director Thomas Rodgers has put together an eight-piece orchestra that makes the production seem larger and lusher than it has any right to be. Jeff Fiorello and Billy Brisley have choreographed the action and the dancing to a fare-the-well, and Mark Happel’s costumes have just the right touch of commédia del’arte outlandishness.”

“‘Triumph of Love’ caps a terrific season at Chester Theatre Group, which included “The Receptionist” and “Shirley Valentine.” So for comic hijinks and beautiful music, head on out to the Black River Playhouse on Grove Street in Chester for a triumphant “Triumph of Love.”  It’s a real winner!”

Thanks, Ruth! We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!