It’s Peg O’Malley’s birthday. Her cheerful sister Sandy arrives, but Peg’s in no mood to celebrate. Last night, she broke up with Dan, yet another in a long line of boyfriends who disappoint.
“Good on Paper” is a fierce new comedy about women who want perfection. Last weekend, the George Brant farce opened Creede Repertory Theatre’s big 50th anniversary season. In sequence, four more productions will follow, and the celebration continues until mid-September.
The company is off to a smart start. “Good on Paper” takes a contemporary look at the Pygmalion story about a sculptor jaundiced by human frailty. He seeks perfection – at least in his art. He carves a statue of a beautiful, perfect woman and longs for her to become human. Miraculously, she does, and the myth has a happy ending – rare for a tale by Ovid, the exiled Greek poet who preferred dark, creepy transformations and tragic outcomes.
Playwright Brant centers his story on Peg, a police sketch artist. Played by Caitlin Wise, Peg is restless and obsessive. Sandy, Peg’s romance-writer sister, is oddly more realistic. Portrayed in an endearing performance by Mehry Eslaminia, Sandy tracks Peg’s fantasies and all too soon gets entangled.
The conceit is that one of Peg’s sketches comes to life. The versatile actor-comedian John DiAntonio brings petty criminal Guy to smiling, buff reality. It’s only a matter of time before other sketches become real men in Peg’s crowded apartment. You’ll have to see the why and wherefore and the unexpected ending.
The author of this comic stew mostly is known for his serious works, one of which just closed in New York and starred Anne Hathaway with Julie Taymor directing. “Grounded” is a political drama in production around the world, so it’s interesting to see Brant’s comic side crackle with so much energy.
Presented in Creede’s new black-box theater, “Good on Paper” may be a little too big for The Ruth’s comfortably intimate space. From the beginning, Director Stephen Weitz sets a high bar for energy, pace and volume. The actors tend to over-project as if they were in an old-fashioned proscenium theater. And, as the action slips in and out of magic realism, farcical elements intensify, with multitudes of entrances and exits from a sliding, wrap-around curtain for Peg’s bedroom. It’s perfect for surprising appearances and disappearances.
Credit director Weitz and his tech team for a stunning black-and-white set, lighting and sound that evoke an urban environment with supernatural interruptions.
“Good on Paper” apparently was a late substitute for John DiAntonio’s equally funny “I Love St. Lucy.”
“We ran into some late stage development issues with the estate of Lucille Ball around usage of the character,” said public relations manager Sarah Wallace about a snag that hopefully can be overcome to make “I Love St. Lucy” part of Creede’s 51st season.
It’s a bit of a miracle that an ad hoc summer program from 1966 has evolved into a professional theater with a successful, half-century run.
jreynolds@durangoherald.com. Judith Reynolds is a Durango writer, art historian and arts journalist.
If you go
“Good on Paper,” the world premiere of a comedy by George Brant, in repertory with “Guys and Dolls,” “Our Town,” “August: Osage County” and “Ghost Light.” Now through Sept. 19 is the 50th anniversary season of the Creede Repertory Theatre, 124 North Main St., Creede. Tickets range from $11 to $40. For schedule and information, call (719) 658-2540 or visit www.creederep.org.
