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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Theater Review: Over the Tavern -- Seven Angels

Michael Sacco, Noel Desiato, Sarah Knapp, Tony Harkin and Carey Cannata. Photo by Paul Roth.
Over-the-Top Performances by Kids Highlight 1950s Story About Growing Up
By Lauren Yarger
Catholic dogma might not rule the life of 12-year-old Rudy Pazinski, who to the horror of his parents and teacher-nun announces his decision to forgo Confirmation while he shops around for a religion, but Over the Tavern, Tom Dudzick’s play opening the 21st season for Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury definitely is a good work with outstanding youth performances.

Carey Cannata makes a notable professional debut as the religion-questioning, Ed Sullivan-impersonating boy trying to find answers in 1959 Buffalo. Ben Scanlon is his pornography-obsessed teenage brother, Eddie. Mandy Thompson is their sister, Annie, whose poor self image causes her to overeat and undress in front of her window. In a terrific turn, Tony Harkin is their younger, mentally-challenged brother Georgie.

Director Semina De Laurentis brings out performances that are natural, touching and humorous. Voice overs (performed by Joyce Jeffrey, Michelle Gotay and Don Leona with sound design by Trenton Spears) call the “s-k-i-ending” names of the Polish students for detention at St. Casimir’s parochial school, depicted simply by Rudy seated at a desk, with Sister Clarissa  (Noel Desiato) towering over him, lighted by Lynne Chase set apart from the main action of the Pazinskis’ apartment (Erik D. Diaz, scenic design).

Mother, Ellen Pazinski (SarahKnapp), tries to keep their home together in the cramped apartment where they live over a tavern run by her husband Chet (Michael Sacco) and his abusive, alcoholic father. It’s not easy given Chet’s manic mood swings that have the kids living in fear of receiving a beating.

Things just get worse when Rudy starts asking questions during catechism class, impersonating Jesus and coming up with some of his own answers. Why does God let bad things happen, why doesn't he answer prayers and why does he allow Sister Clarissa to strike him with her ruler while teaching him about God’s love, he wants to know. Rudy’s resistance finally prompts a fateful home visit from Sister Clarissa that results in a new family dynamic that might just be everyone’s salvation.

Dudzick’s strong character development and engaging dialogue create a glimpse into the family’s life and into a time gone by in America and the amazingly strong performances by the junior cast members make Over the Tavern a real pleasure.

Catch it at Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Waterbury, through Oct. 30. Tickets range from $29 to $39,50 and can be purchased by calling 203-757-4676 or online at www.sevenangelstheatre.org.
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2 comments:

Beth Barrett said...

Great review and I agree. The children did give amazing performances, however the name of the boy that played the part of Rudy is Carey Cannata (not Casey).
We loved the show and think every member of the cast is amazing.

October 17, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Lauren Yarger said...

Thanks for your comments, Beth. We have corrected Carey's name. Spell checks: a blessing and curse....

October 17, 2011 at 3:21 PM

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Lauren Yarger with playwright Alfred Uhry at the Mark Twain House. Photo: Jacques Lamarre)

My Bio

Lauren Yarger has written, directed and produced
numerous shows and special events for both secular and Christian audiences. She co-wrote a Christian musical version of “A Christmas Carol” which played to sold-out audiences of over 3,000 in Vermont and was awarded the 2000 Vermont
Bessie (theater and film awards) for “People’s Choice for Theatre.”

Yarger trained for three years in the Broadway
League’s Producer Development Program, completed the Commercial Theater Institute's Producing Three-Day Training and produced a one-woman musical about Mary Magdalene that toured nationally and closed with an off-Broadway
run.

She was a Fellow at the National Critics Institute at the O'Neill
Theater Center in Waterford, CT. She writes reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway theater (the only ones you can find in the US with an added Christian perspective) at http://reflectionsinthelight.blogspot.com/. She
is editor of The Connecticut Arts Connection (http://ctarts.blogspot.com), CT Press Club's award winner of first place for web editing and second place in feature writing for the web in 2012.

She is a contributing editor for BroadwayWorld.com and is a theater reviewer for the Manchester Journal-Inquirer. She previously served as Connecticut theater editor
for CurtainUp.com and as Connecticut and New York reviewer for American Theater Web. Yarger is a book reviewer for Publishers Weekly and freelances for other sites. She is a member of the National Book Critics Circle.

She is a freelance writer and playwright and member of The Drama Desk, The Outer Critics Circle, The American Theater Critics Association and The League of Professional Theatre Women. She served as a judge for the SDX Awards presented
by the Society of Professional Journalists. She also is a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle (awards committee).

A former newspaper editor and graduate of the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism, Yarger also worked in arts management for the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts,
the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and served for nine years as the Executive Director of Masterwork Productions, Inc. She lives with her husband in West Granby, CT. They have two adult children.

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