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CVLT play fest produces a mixed bag
(by Herb Hammer - July 06, 2011)
CVLT play fest produces a mixed bag
By Herb Hammer
In order to create a plot and develop characters a playwright needs time, certainly a lot more time than ten minutes.
Yet this is the second year the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre has asked ten playwrights to each write a ten minute play, all of which are to be performed in one evening at the River Street Playhouse.
"The 10-10 New Plays Festival," opened this past Friday with mixed results.
Surely audiences will have trouble finding all ten of these vignettes to be rewarding theater. There is however, in this mixed bag of little plays, a few that will please the senses and make you laugh. And maybe that's the problem.
Even though these playwrights are mostly un-produced and non-professional, it would be difficult to make much of ten minutes for anyone.
The writers who attempt sentimentality or try to make their few minutes appear to be important and serious generally fail. The writers who appear to be having a good time mostly succeed.
Take "The Something Special Coffee House" by Janis Butler Holm. Two customers order an array of coffee mixtures: Lattes, Cappuccinos and the like, changing their orders constantly and then finally this changes the price. But wait, they are on expense accounts and on it goes. Here is a tight little plotless plot with no character development just laughs.
CVLT regular Bob Fortlage's "The Bathroom" is another simple little laugh getter. A married couple struggles at the bathroom sink. She is putting on her makeup while he is doing his morning ritual and they are constantly getting in each other's way. The very simplicity of this ten-minute comedy makes it a winner.
In less than ten minutes Rollin DeVere's "Bipolar Physics," though confusing, is very funny.
"When All is Possible" by Jonathan Wilhelm gives us one touching moment. Tibby finds his grandfather, Jeb, sitting on a log deep in the woods high on a hill. The old man reminisces, the young man listens. It's a rare moment.
The ten actors are all quite good appearing in two or more of the ten tiny plays. Playing characters loosely put together can be a chore. These performers work through the problems and score high points.
Directors Yvonne E. Pilrczyk and Sue Beattie are mostly right on. But they also struggle to make sense of some of the work.
"10-Ten" will most likely go on to be an annual event at CVLT. The process appears to be tedious. This year the theater had to choose from 30 submitted plays but it appears to be worth the effort. "10-10" continues for two more weekends.
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