THE BASICS: THE CEMETERY CLUB, a comedy by Ivan Menchell presented by O’Connell & Company, directed by Sheila McCarthy, starring Anne Gayley, Joy Scime, Constance Caldwell, Rob Schwartz, Deborah A. Krygier runs through May 21, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 at The Park School, 4625 Harlem Road, Snyder (848-0800). www.oconnellandcompany.com Runtime: 2 hours with one intermission. Wine, snacks, basket raffles (always)!
THUMBNAIL SKETCH: In this bittersweet comedy, three Jewish widows meet monthly to visit their husband’s graves in Queens, NY. We meet the even-tempered Ida (Anne Gayley) who might be ready to move on in her life, the apparent party girl Lucille (Constance Caldwell), and the judgmental Doris (Joy Scime) who most resents the presence of widower Sam (Rob Schwartz) in their lives. Doris has developed a crusty shell to protect herself, and when she tries to protect her friend Ida, too, she oversteps.
THE PLAYERS, THE PLAY, AND THE PRODUCTION: Anne Gayley (Ida) is always a joy to see on stage, eagerly anticipated after her recent ARTIE award winning role in 6 DANCE LESSONS IN 6 WEEKS at O’Connell & Company. While she has appeared on just about every stage in WNY, I swear that she could perform on any stage from coast to coast, at the highest level, completely believable, never over the top, always in service to the play. If you went just to see her, you’d go home happy.
Ida is the lead in this play, but not the most memorable character. That would have to be Doris (Joy Scime), embittered by life, especially the loss of her husband. For most people, hurt is usually expressed first by anger. Doris is hurting really badly and she’s angry at the world. But here’s the best part. She hasn’t given up on life. Not at all. Whether it’s the script, the direction (Sheila McCarthy) or the actor, Doris is a multi-layered character and not at all stereotyped. She is superbly played by Scime, right down to the walk and rigid body language, ably abetted by Adam Wall’s costumes.
Lucille (Constance Caldwell) is also a complete character who at first appears a bit ditzy, but after you get to know her, you see that it’s all part of her coping mechanism. If actor Caldwell looks familiar, it’s probably because she’s the co-host of the TV movie-viewing show OFF BEAT CINEMA.
Rob Schwartz (Sam) completes the little foursome and, like the three widows, presents a nuanced character as the owner of a local butcher shop, known to all three women, and a widower himself, whose “intentions,” as they used to say, are suspect by Doris and Lucille.
There is “another woman” in the play, Mildred (Deborah A. Krygier), a brief role late in Act II, which in some smaller theater companies can be doubled.
The set (the living room of Ida’s house and a cemetery in Forest Hills, Queens) makes clever use of the unusual (sorry) Park School elevated upstage area as the cemetery. Every stage in Buffalo has its peculiar challenges and set designer John Kehoe has done well here.
And, every company has its niche. This play fits perfectly with O’Connell & Company’s core audience and here I want to give a nice shout out to playbill designer Ann L. Mosner for the very readable LARGE TYPE, BLACK TEXT ON WHITE PAPER. Would that all playbills be so easy to read. Now, can we get all house managers at all the local stages to provide a little more house light in the audience prior to the show so that we could all read said playbills? (I could go on, but I have to go yell at some kids to get off my lawn.)
I’m not sure why (just coincidence?) but Buffalo is currently awash in plays about seniors (widows and widowers) back in the dating game.
I’m not sure why (just coincidence?) but Buffalo is currently awash in plays about seniors (widows and widowers) back in the dating game. I’M FINE just closed at the Alleyway and KALAMAZOO runs through May 27 at the New Phoenix Theater. Just an observation.
To sum up, THE CEMETERY CLUB is not edgy, or controversial, or overly dramatic. It’s not Chekhov, but it’s not just fluff, either. The script is balanced, the characters are well developed, and the acting is solid.
Coming up next: O’Connell and Company has revealed its 2017-2018 season with a September 15, 2017 Curtain Up! one-nighter GENTLEMEN PREFER DIVAS at the Smith Theatre (connected to Shea’s). Throughout the year, back at the Park School, the company continues with DIVA BY DIVA: A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN and their new addition to that franchise GENTLEMEN PREFER DIVAS on Wednesdays at 7:30 (check the website www.oconnellandcompany.com for specific show information).
And continuing next season, there’s DEAR WORLD in September, PAINTING CHURCHES in November, IRVING BERLIN’S AMERICA in December, AN ACT OF GOD starting in January, 2018 and they’ll close the season with I DO!I DO! in April, 2018 (showtimes for all runs at The Park School stage will be Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30).
*HERD OF BUFFALO (Notes on the Rating System)
ONE BUFFALO: This means trouble. A dreadful play, a highly flawed production, or both. Unless there is some really compelling reason for you to attend (i.e. you are the parent of someone who is in it), give this show a wide berth.
TWO BUFFALOS: Passable, but no great shakes. Either the production is pretty far off base, or the play itself is problematic. Unless you are the sort of person who’s happy just going to the theater, you might look around for something else.
THREE BUFFALOS: I still have my issues, but this is a pretty darn good night at the theater. If you don’t go in with huge expectations, you will probably be pleased.
FOUR BUFFALOS: Both the production and the play are of high caliber. If the genre/content are up your alley, I would make a real effort to attend.
FIVE BUFFALOS: Truly superb–a rare rating. Comedies that leave you weak with laughter, dramas that really touch the heart. Provided that this is the kind of show you like, you’d be a fool to miss it!