by Dan Mayer
In storytelling, insightful political commentary can sometimes come at the cost of fully realizing the characters as people. In Casa Valentina, playwright Harvey Fierstein manages to do both, delivering a cast of likable human characters with realistic ideological differences. Schenectady Civic Players bring the characters to life in all their fabulous glory, and it’s deeply fascinating to watch.
The cast are all superb, with excellent costuming to match their characters’ personalities as well as the time period. The set design is effective, exuding a rustic charm. It’s impressive that they managed to fit four rooms on the stage, plus the facades of the exterior. Unfortunately, those facades result in a slightly obstructed view of the left and right upper rooms for audience members in aisle seats. Actors will be hard to see during the couple of scenes in those rooms.
Fierstein’s writing can be overly flowery at times. It’s rare to get so many well-spoken people in a room together. His style is easy to get used to, however, and the characters prove to have richly-realized inner lives, as well as provide a valuable window into their lifestyles. The first act is mostly pleasant banter and a peppering of catty humor amid a relaxed atmosphere, but the drama steadily increases as political differences come to the surface and schisms form in this charming little community. The fact that this story is set in 1962 becomes shockingly apparent, and not for the reasons I was expecting.
Casa Valentina will be challenging in different ways for different people. It will make you laugh, probably make you cringe, but it will definitely make you think. For that reason alone, it is well worth seeing. The hair, make-up, dresses, and sing-alongs are just icing on a surprisingly nutritious cake.
Schenectady Civic Players present Casa Valentina by Harvey Fierstein, directed by Kathy Glasser, runs from March 21-30, at Schenectady Civic Theater, 12 South Church Street in Schenectady, NY. Cast: Jen Madison as Rita, Chad Ried as Jonathan/Miranda, Sky Vogel as Albert/Bessie, Rocky Bonsal as George/Valentina, Michael Schaefer as Isadore/Charlotte, Tyler Rexhouse as Michael/Gloria, John Sutliff as Theodore/Terry, Dan Smirlock as The Judge/Amy, Jessica Córdova as Eleanor, and Russell Roberts as Understudy for Terry.
Producer: Regina Baker. Stage Manager: Rebecca Catroppa. Set Design Collaborators: Doug Peek and Kathy Glasser. Master Carpenter: Doug Peek. Scenic Painting: Jennie Sinnott. Construction Crew: Doug Peek, Ron Glasser, Tim Slater, Jeff Rauhauser, Dan Smirlock, Callie Peek, and Jennifer Van Iderstyne. Lighting Design/OP: Stephen Wilson. Sound Design: Chad Ried. Sound Op: Stephen Wilson. Set Dresser: Hannah Blakeslee. Wig & Hair Design: John Fowler. Makeup: Lawrence Brock. Cosmetologist: Teaghan Rockenstire. Weapons Crafter: Ron Glasser. Actors’ Dresser: Pat Brady.
Performance dates are Wednesday through Sunday, March 21st-30th. Wednesday and Thursday curtains are at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday are at 8pm, and Sundays are matinees only at 2:30pm. Tickets are $25. Runs approximately 2 hours 15 minutes with a 15-minute intermission. Contains strong language. Tickets are available online. Visit https://www.civicplayers.org/ for more information.