Opening Weekend For "Mame"

Left: 'We Need A Little Christmas' - Young Patrick (Andrew Lampinen), Mame (Mary Young), Agnes Gooch (Monica Parisi), and Ito (Andy Hyun).


Several months ago, wondering whether she should audition or not, Kristin Cunningham asked "what is 'Mame' about?" I couldn't really answer the question: I just had a fuzzy idea it was about a rich woman in Virginia horse society. I had no idea what the trajectory of the musical was, or any special feature of interest. Unable to get intelligence on "Mame" from her other acquaintances and friends, I suspect Kristin ultimately decided to try out for other shows.

All the pity, actually, because I'm really beginning to like this show, about an eccentric woman of the theater devoted to helping out the weak and living life with zest. Kristin, Ryan, and the rest of the gang would have been great in the show, but we are doing all right with the crew we have. Ron Cisneros did an excellent job of putting the show together without extraneous histrionics, and, because of the New Year's preview, we are better-rehearsed than usual.

Left: Sometimes flawed pictures express the story better than good pictures. Here is Monica Parisi as the bewildered Agnes Gooch in 'Gooch's Song' Right, Mary Young as Mame.


Indeed, as feared, Wendy Young Carey broke her wrist with her fall on the bundle of carpet near the roll-up door on Thursday evening. Nevertheless, with some costume adaptations to accomodate her new cast, Wendy did just fine in her role.

There were the usual minor errors and omissions, as in any show: missed dance steps and incorrect dialogue and muffed lyrics. For me, on Sunday afternoon, I managed to get a red vest on inside-out. That didn't bother me so much as the fact that I had been very careful in the fairly-quick costume change to check myself out in the mirror before going on stage. Despite my deliberate, precautionary pace, I failed to notice the flagrant error. I carefully looked at myself in the mirror, yet somehow failed to see the flaw.

Left: The fine fedora accessorizes Steve Isaacson's Mr. Babcock really well.


Audiences Friday and Saturday night were small (the consensus is that people are tired after the holidays), but the Sunday audience was large and responsive. It was nice seeing Ben and Noel Sunday!