When you have such a fun experience in the theatre you just want to email your friends right away and tell your facebook friends, and tweet it. And that’s what I did when I came home tonight from The Arts Barn in Gaithersburg, MD, after my better half and I laughed ourselves silly for almost two hours.
So I am telling all of you: go see Montgomery Playhouse and Arts on the Green’s hilarious production of Marc Camoletti’s Tony Award-winning Boeing, Boeing. What a sidesplitting and rollicking night in the theatre!
The Arts Barn Airlines’ Montgomery Playhouse Flight #1969 to Paris is a non-stop laughfest, performed by one of the best ensembles I have seen on any local stage. I am not going to give away all the jokes or the plot or all the craziness that happens on the intimate stage, but all I
\will tell you is this: Bernard (Jason Damaso) relies too much on his ‘precise’ timetables to make sure that his three (yes-count ’em-3!) stewardess fiancées don’t find out about this ‘triple-play.’
Director Lisa Lorraine Holland deserves major kudos for her excellent and steady direction. She keeps the jokes coming at a bullet-speed pace, and they all hit the bullseye tonight. But what I admired most about her direction was that she never forgot that the six characters delivering these barbs were six real people who have real emotions, needs, and feelings and lots of flaws-just like the rest of us. I could relate to each and every one of them-the good, the gorgeous, the great-kisser, the liar, the overly-honest and loyal, and the schmuck.
Scenic Designer David Jones has created a classy Parisian garçonnière (Bachelor Pad) filled with tasteful furnishings and art and sculpture, which is beautifully decorated by Stage Dressers B.J. Angstadt and Kay Coupe. It was perfection.
Costume Designer Maggie Skekel has designed three colorful outfits for our stewardesses: Bright yellow for our Lufthansa Airline German stewardess Judith (Netta Morelli), red for our TWA Southern Belle Janet (Cory Bolcik), and bleu et blanc for our Air France stewardess Jacqueline (Christina Fox). The costumes are as colorful as the characters who wear them. The guys are dressed in some classy sweaters and slacks.
Diction Coach Dave Dossey has worked wonders with the French, German, British, and American accents of this talented cast. They are so convincing! And Light Designer Steve Deming and Sound Designers Noah Anderson and Bruce Hirsch provide excellent work. Everyone is at the top of their game!
And now to this amazing cast that has so much chemistry and talent and comic timing. Thank you for your delightful performances.
Cory Bolcik is perfectly tough, stunning, flirty, and sultry as the ‘smart cookie’ and great kisser TWA’s Janet. Christina Fox is merveilleux as the romantic and loving Jacqueline. But when things become their craziest Fox is up to the challenge and shows a wide-range of emotions. Netta Morelli gives a volcanic performance as the aggressive and passionate and “I get what I want” Judith. She can flirt, and she can erupt at the drop of a hat, and she can love, and she can be really funny – all in the same scene.
Jim Breen is hilarious as the spastic, confused, romantic opportunist, and Bernard’s best friend, Robert. He has impeccable comic timing and endless energy and he grabs the audience from the moment he appears in Bernard’s apartment until the final curtain falls. His scenes where he tries to protect his best friend from being exposed are his finest.
The role of Bernard is not an easy one to play. It’s easy to portray him as a ‘putz’ (a a stupid or worthless person), or the villain, but Damaso shows so many sides of this man-arrogance, confusion, self-confidence, and then self-doubt, cleverness, and quick-thinking, and a man who is terribly flawed. But then you can’t help to wonder why these three women keep coming back to this man – there’s a romantic side to him – and his performance beautifully shows us all these sides of Bernard. You can’t help but see some of these ‘putzy’ flaws in ourselves. Damaso accomplished something I have never felt at any other production of Boeing, Boeing – I actually felt sorry for him.
Anne Vandercook is a hoot as Bernard’s loyal and sassy maid and confidante Bertha. Talk about perfect comic timing and delivery! Vandercook delivered so many laughs and (some moans) and lit up the stage every time she appeared. She is endearing, loveable, assertive, and hysterical. She’s Hazel with attitude. It’s a tour de force performance, and worth the price of admission.
Love to laugh and have a great time in the theater? Montgomery Playhouse and Arts on the Green’s high-flying production of Boeing, Boeing is your show. This cast has earned its wings! Don’t miss it!
Running Time: Two hours, with one intermission.
Boeing Boeing plays through March 1, 2015 at The Montgomery Playhouse, in partnership with Arts on the Green, performing at The Gaithersburg Arts Barn-311 Kent Square Road, in Gaithersburg, MD. For tickets call (301) 258-6394, or purchase them online.
LINKS
Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 1: Renetta Morelli.
Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 2: Jim Breen.
Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 3: Anne Vandercook
Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 4: Christina Fox.
Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 5: Jason Damaso.
Meet the Cast of ‘Boeing, Boeing’ at Montgomery Playhouse: Part 6: Corrie Bolcik.
‘Boeing, Boeing’ Opens Tomorrow Friday, 2/13 at Montgomery Playhouse-Meet the Cast: Renetta Morelli, Jim Breen, Anne Vandercook, Christina Fox, Jason Damaso, and Corrie Bolcik.
RATING: 
