Page 10 - Thursday, November 6, 1997 The Behrend College Collegian Only You: Purely Entertaining by Kristi McKim features editor Just how do these "natural and un natural disasters of relationships...just happen?" ask the characters of Only You, which opens in the Studio The atre this weekend. A refreshing, en tertaining alternative to more serious drama, this contemporary comedy provides a light, humorous look at the otherwise "heavy" issues of love, friendship and intimacy. The cast and crew of this Bchrend production do a superb job of conveying the often humorous, some what-crazed, always- complex tendencies of young adulthood. Whether sipping cappucino at the lo cal coffee ship or downing shots of scotch at Eddie's apartment; shoo-hop dancing to old ies or masquerading as superheroes; pining for Prince Charming or beg ging for the return of one's ex, the tal ented characters of the play work to gether to depict hysterical, witty slices of young adult life. The acting is exceptional, as each character seems delightfully real and relatable. The "Big Voice," David Reynolds, wisely wields his powers of omniscience to these perplexed twenty-somethings; his confident, Brooklyn-accented voice effectively conveys his street-wise advice. Jennifer Quadri, "Miriam," suc cessfully depicts the complexities of a woman stricken with the Prince °ROLLA Charming Complex; her tense, ner vous expressions contrast her dreamy conscience. Quadri smartly, carefully shows the conflicts that arise when one "reads too many fairy tales" and is "condemned to spend a lifetime searching for the perfect Bond Davis charismatically por trays "Leo," a man governed by the extremes of emotion, whether it be rapture or distress. His compulsions drive him, as he is ruled entirely by his heart. Davis dynamically cap tures the essence of this character, as The cast and crew of this Behrend produc tion do a superb job of conveying the often humorous, somewhat-crazed; always-com plex tendencies of young adulthood Leo's charm, animation, and fanati cism serve to color his relations with others. He also demonstrates his rather entertaining talents of lip synching in one of the play's most comedically-strong scenes. Amanda Pieper provides a charm ing portrayal of the somewhat-disil lusioned, naively innocent "Heather." Pieper's facial expressions and bub bly voice add a delightful dimension to this character who claims to be "deep down, just a little girl in a party dress." Pieper gives a refreshingly cute spirit to this easily amused, thor oughly cheery character. Joe Getway generates an entertain ing, convincing portrayal of "Bo," a sensitive man with prostate problems blamed on his "eight-and-a-half months of celibacy"— and frustrated with his friends' "indifference" toward his vulnerable self. Getway vividly communicates the tender, warm heartedness of his character, who wants nothing more than the love of a woman, a shared beer with his bud dies, and the closeness of friends. Mike Lechner provides a primo per formance as the suavely- sophisticated "Eddie"— the man to whom all oth ers come for stability, advice and beer. Always the host of the party, "Eddie" knows the ins and outs of relation- mains vehemently commitment-shy in matters of his own heart. Lechner's tal ents for rhetorical ex- pression shine in mo- ments of truth with fellow troubled friends. While the cast should be hailed for their individual character portrayals, they also work extremely well to gether; their overall cohesiveness al lows for natural dialogue and believ able narrative. Director Tony Elliot attests to the strength of cast and crew, as "they are extremely experienced. It's a pleasure to have experience and continuity in the program because it makes communication much easier." Stage Manager Jessica Milano and Assistant Stage Manager Nicki Buterbaugh contribute to this unity of cast and crew. The action of the play shifts quickly between a quaint coffee shop and the THERE ARE A FEW SPECIAL THINGS THAT WE CAN REALLY COUNT ON TO HELP US ACCOMPLISH ALL THAT '9IE NEED TO DO. RELIABLE, DEPENDABLE THINGS: I TOYOTA COROLLA. OVER THE PAST 30 YEAR ILLA HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED IN THE WORLD. AND NOW IT'S ALL-NEW...WITH PASSENGER AND TRUNK ROOM, AN ALL-NEW JINUM ENGINE THAT'S ONLY MORE POWERFUL, IT'S MORE ECONOMICAL...UP TO 38 MILES KR GALLON HIGHWAY. COROLLA IS SAFER AND QUIETER, AND BEST OF ALL, IT STARTS AT A PRICE LOWER THAN LAST YEAR. MORE CAR...LESS 11 1 MONEY. WHAT A REFRESHING CHANGE! ',. AIL, ' h he re- Ready for opening night: (clockwise from left) Dave Reynolds, Joe Getway, Amanda Pieper, Mike Lechner, Bond Davis, and Jennifer Quadri. character's individual apartments, via the many doors leading off stage. This fast-paced, efficient style allows the nearly-two-hour , performance literally to speed by; the ever-present humor and relatable themes contribute to and further the play's unity and entertain ment value. The set and technical aspects, de signed and directed by T.J. Laffan and controlled by Adam Gaines and Mike Kristufek, are bright, creative, and TOYOTA &v&riiciaii appropriate to this comedy. Costume director Kim Mcllwain coordinates the outfits which contribute to each character's development. As Elliot describes, the cast and crew have had "a wonderful time re hearsing; it's been a real blast." Guar anteed, all who attend this contempo rary comedy will share in this ener getic intensity; surely, the audience will enjoy watching this performance as much as the cast and crew enjoy performing. A free student preview of Only You will be presented this evening at 8 p.m. in the Studio Theatre. Tickets are available for all performances, including opening night, Friday, No vember 7. Timothy Mason's Only You will be performed November 7,8, 12, 13, 14, and 15 at 8 p.m.; matinees will be performed November 9 and 16 at 2:30 p.m. For reservations or more information, call 898-6016. 4 0" 0 „, shot,s likkiNfr 44.
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