I use the title above with the greatest of respect.
Theresa Carrilli’s play, “Dolores Street” is now a piece of historical fiction. It opens, as each segment does, with one of the quartet of lesbian roommates on the titular street in San Francisco delivering a monologue. A daring and bold theatrical move in the ‘80s, not so much now, but the monologues still serve the play and the characters well. The roomies are gathered around their kitchen table reading classified ads in the “Women Seeking Women” section of the paper, establishing that they are all single and ready to mingle.
On the night I saw the show, there was a power outage in the neighborhood, so the show was lit by emergency lights and a few battery-operated light strips. There were no mics, but the actors projected well and gamely went on. The only negative was that we had no clue as to when there was a blackout indicated in the script, so company founder Carol Wartenberg simply clapped her hands. After a scene or two, we all got it, and the show went on.
The acting level in this show was at a much higher level than in previous LT productions. Stand-outs include Susanna Ninomiya, last seen in ArtBuzz Theatrics’ “Steel Magnolias” at Empire Stage, and Claire Rearer, a recent graduate of FSU. Both created fully realized characters. Kalynne Proctor started a little shaky, but by the play’s conclusion was strong. Alexis Swan, given an underwritten role (she’s in her bedroom all the time because she’s sick? Depressed?) needs to bring some life to her lines, not merely recite them.
The play captures a time, I’m assuming before AIDS since it is never mentioned, and a place when anything seemed possible for the gay and lesbian community (that’s how we described it back then). Playwright Carrilli is a professor in her day job, and the play does feel a little bit like a lecture at times. Some of the jokes didn’t quite land, put it down to opening night jitters - in the dark!
The direction by Jocelyn Lombardo doesn’t help move things along. There are elaborate set changes that I assume are supposed to indicate the passage of time but really don’t do so. There is weird stage business (like making mac and cheese by simply putting a pot on the stove) and then, in the second act, the two entrances to the stage which indicate where the front door and various bedrooms are, were switched around so that the front door and the unseen living room are in the bedroom annex. It may seem minor, but those things pull you out of the story.
“Dolores Street” plays April 5 at The Center for Spiritual Living, April 13 at Sunshine Cathedral, and April 27 for Wilton Women’s Week. Go to Lesbian Thespians’ Facebook page for links to tickets and more information.
“Dolores Street”
Lesbian Thespians
Various Locations and Dates
