By Chuck Graham, TucsonStage.com
photo by Ryan Fagan
Stephen Frankenfield (L) and Keith Wick create Tuna, Texas at Live Theatre Workshop.
Not even today's culture wars on the front lines of political correctness can slow down Live Theatre Workshop's rockingly hilarious production of “Red, White and Tuna,” celebrating the Fourth of July right there in the proudly provincial town that is every theater-goer's favorite.
According to the program notes, director Jodi Ajanovic compares her return to Tuna, Texas, onstage as very similar to her own real life experience of re-visiting the tiny rural community where she grew up.
For Tuna regulars, it is like that. We all have our own idea of this “third smallest town in Texas.” We have recognize our favorite folks, such as the clueless but caring personality of Petey and his work on behalf of helpless animals everywhere. And certainly Didi, who runs the used gun store and knows eight different kinds of martial arts.
We smile to learn Bertha Burmiller is now about to get married late in life – soon as her pending divorce is final, and get surprised by the unexpected success of her son Stanley who took some painting classes in reform school and then became a famous intuitive artist.
There are four of these Tuna comedies satirizing the resourceful lives of these endearing innocents from the Lone Star State, all written by Jaston Williams, Ed Howard and Joe Sears. Back in 2009 Adjanovic directed “A Tuna Christmas” at LTW.
Now she has returned, with Stephen Frankenfield and Keith Wick sharing 19 roles and both genders, an inventive wardrobe and a variety of accents distinguishing each of these characters. Some of it feels rushed and muddled, but we can always get the general idea.
The play opens with enlightened hippies Amber and Star driving back to Tuna for their 10-year high school reunion. In those student days they went by their birth names, Fern and Bernice.
Soon enough we hear the reassuring twang of radio announcers Arles and Thurston, the heart of station OKKK, talking about the day's upcoming festivities. Even though it is radio, they are wearing red baseball caps proclaiming “Make Tuna Great Again.”
We learn of Bertha's wedding plans. She wants to attend the famous outdoor “Passion Play” for her honeymoon. You really know Bertha takes religion seriously when she says “Nothing makes me madder than a so-called Christian who doesn't believe in war!”
This is a community, after all, where one person takes pride in his lava lamp because it's an antique, while another takes pride in how all her good furniture is protected with clear plastic covers.
And if you really want to insult some one, call them “a born-again has been.”
“Red, White and Tuna” continues through July 21. For details and reservations, livetheatreworkshop.org
No comments:
Post a Comment