THEATRE DRAMA

Media Reviews

• Event Name: TO GILLIAN ON HER 37TH BIRTHDAY
  Article:
  BroadwayWorld.com (preview) - Mar 21, 2006
  By Robbie Wachs

  
  

Member Reviews

Add review/comment

• Event Name: TO GILLIAN ON HER 37TH BIRTHDAY
  "Event Review"
  Review posted by: Nov 30, -0001
  

  Saturday 1 April 2006: To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, ReAct Theatre at the Hugo House
  I was thinking as we went along that this is very good writing (by Michael Brady). I knew I had seen the... Expand

  Saturday 1 April 2006: To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, ReAct Theatre at the Hugo House I was thinking as we went along that this is very good writing (by Michael Brady). I knew I had seen the piece before (at Lakewood Playhouse), and liked it, but could not remember many specifics (that was in 2002). Upon looking back at the notes for that show, I can see that this is a script that is going to turn out well no matter what; having excellent performances just ices the cake. ReAct has provided us with those performances. The title character has been dead two years (but appears anyway, played by Roberta Furst). Her widower and daughter (David and Rachel) are living in what used to be their summer cabin at the beach; David (TJ Langley) is sort of hiding from the world, living on Gillian's life insurance payout. Rachel (Colleen Parker) fears that he is sinking into depression. Gillian's sister Esther (Leilani Berinobis) and her husband Paul (Matt Lovell) have come out to the island to celebrate Gillian's birthday (which is also the second anniversary of her death). They have brought along Kevin (Kathy Hsieh), a former student of David, in hopes that they can interest him in socializing again. Neighbor Cindy (Casey Floresca), Rachel's age, has a crush on David and pops in most days for running, stargazing, or just hanging out. The play covers three days in the lives of these folks. The personalities are well-developed. The conflicts are familiar and convincing. The denouement is a two-hanky job. Checkmarks to Langley and Berinobis, and double checks to Parker. Honorable mentions to Floresca, Hsieh, and Furst, The other Hsieh associated with ReAct (David Hsieh) directed. Collapse