Last weekend, Durango Arts Center wrapped its 16th annual 10-Minute Play Festival. Its streamlined format proved to be a success. The DAC summer season resumes July 10 with “The Notorious Nugget.”
If you go
WHAT: Creede Repertory Theatre, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “Fully Committed”
WHEN: In repertory through Sept. 19.
WHERE: 124 North Main St., Creede
TICKETS: Single tickets start at $30 adults; students $25; $3 service charge per ticket. Flex passes available.
MORE INFORMATION: Call (719) 658-2540 or visit www.creederep.org for schedule and ticket information.
Creede Repertory Theatre opened its 61st season last weekend and dazzled its audiences with two productions: a fresh offering of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and the astonishing solo show “Fully Committed.” By the end of June, two more shows will open in repertory: “Working,” a musical based on Studs Terkel’s book, and Ken Ludwig’s “Moriarty,” a whimsical addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon.
“Spelling Bee” is a lively and charming take on a distinctly American form of competition – a spelling contest. As director, CRT’s Artistic Director Emily Van Fleet set a quicksilver pace, and the contest moves quickly toward a surprise winner. Along the way adult actors convincingly play jittery middle schoolers while clever writing, tech magic and music provide insights into every character’s yearning – including the adult organizers.
Durangoans will recognize Equity actor Zachary Chiero from his many appearances with Merely Players. Chiero plays Chip Tolentino, the eager winner of last year’s competition who is growing up – adding a comically uncomfortable plot twist. Like Chip, each contestant’s quirky nature emerges in a song of aspiration and/or quiet struggle. And because the audience is the “audience” for the competition, there’s a charming interactive atmosphere throughout.
The musical ran on Broadway from 2005 to 2008. An Off-Broadway revival opened last November, and it has caught fire across the country. It’s a playful work combining Rachel Sheinkin’s hilarious book with music and lyrics by William Finn from an original idea by Rebecca Feldman.
“Fully Committed,” a solo show written by Becky Mode and performed by CRT favorite Graham Ward, is a dazzler. The title is a trade term for “Sorry, we are booked. There are no tables available.”
Ward plays Sam and 40 other characters in this up-tempo story about an aspiring New York actor multitasking in a service job. Set in the basement of a high-end New York restaurant, the play unspools at Christmastime as Sam seeks to satisfy frustrated callers, a gruff chef, a difficult maître d’, an unreliable colleague, a kindly father and persistent patrons who never give up. Over three different phones and a restaurant buzzer, he juggles all the demands on his time and attention – within 80 minutes.
Director Matt Zambrano sets a frenzied pace for actor Ward, who skillfully calms rude callers, navigates inappropriate requests and miraculously avoids meltdowns in this witty satire. Depending on the caller, Ward zips around and offers a new persona by changing tone, tempo and manner. Breathtaking.
Created in 1999 by playwright Mode, the world premiere featured her collaborator Mark Setlock. In the 2016 Broadway production, Mode updated references and Jesse Tyler Ferguson played Sam. It’s 10 years later, but times have changed and social satire aiming at class, status and entitlement on the East Coast strikes the bell of privilege differently.
At curtain Sunday, Ward wisely brought out two key collaborators: Kelsea Sibold, stage manager, and her assistant, Eliana Kindred. Without the technical snap of their bells, lights and whistles from the booth, Ward’s mercurial changes and quicksilver timing wouldn’t have come to life.
Judith Reynolds is an arts journalist and member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
