The Curious Savage Commits to the Craziness

by Elizabeth Breed

Iowa City - I am always excited to experience theatre that I’m unfamiliar with. I find that when I go to a play I’ve neither seen or read before that I am able to dive into my role as an audience member, making it much easier for me to become a part of the world of the play. I knew nothing of the plot of The Curious Savage much less the production history, but I knew that it was the second show of the “Here I Stand” season of Dreamwell Theatre. I had no preconceived notions or expectations and to be honest, I was completely clueless as to the fascinating night of theatre that was ahead of me.

The Curious Savage by John Patrick is the story of Ethel Savage, a wealthy, eccentric widow whose step-children have committed her to "The Cloisters," a home for those individuals who are, for lack of a better word, odd. Ethel has been sent to The Cloisters because of her views on what should be done with her family’s 50 million dollar estate and her desire to pursue a career on the stage, which her children decide is not keeping with the Savage family reputation. Little do they know, that Ethel has drained the family funds, put them into paper bonds, and has hidden them somewhere unknown to everyone but herself. Chaos ensues as Ethel’s children attempt to pry the bonds from her and she tries to come to terms with her commitment and the crazy cast of characters that are her co-inhabitants at The Cloisters.

The lights come up on the common room of The Cloisters, a mix of a game room, a library, a music room, and for one patient, an art studio. Technical director Rich Riggleman uses the small space to its best advantage, using the existing fireplace as a centerpiece for the scene. My only complaint about the stage comes from the actor in me. In many of the scenes, there are quite a few actors onstage, and I felt, even in the audience, a sense of claustrophobia, like there wasn’t quite enough playing space. That being said, director Gerry Roe does stage the action in such a way that the actors did a magnificent job with moving of the set pieces to fit their needs, and anticipating any difficult staging that may have had some obstacles in the way.

Linda Merritt, in her Dreamwell debut, portrays Ethel Savage with gusto and electricity that one would be hard-pressed to find even on a New York stage. From her first appearance with her blue hair, clutching an oversized teddy bear, Merritt commands the stage. Her performance seems entirely organic, which leaves the audience pondering where Ethel ends and Linda begins. Merritt conquers her role with raw fearlessness mixed with an innate lovableness that makes Ethel seem like she could be a member of anyone’s family.

Ethel’s three-stepchildren are eloquently played by John Crosheck, Traci Gardner, and Stephen Polchert. Crosheck’s Titus is calculating and brash, but he is very skilled at the simple nuances that this “bad guy” requires, whether it’s a booming outburst or a quiet threat aimed at his step-mother. Gardner’s icy Lily Belle is reminiscent of any modern day heiress who you love to hate, and her sophisticated yet manipulating charm makes an audience member feel as if they were watching the devil herself. In addition, Gardner’s dialogue with Merritt is acidic and very, very funny. Polchert’s bumbling and borderline innocent Samuel is the one character that makes this trio remotely empathetic. Polchert’s spot-on comedic timing with Samuel’s few lines is the mark of a seasoned professional.

Probably my favorite performance was brought to life by Elisabeth Ross, and it was obvious that the audience agreed with me. Ross’s portrayal of self-conscious Fairy Mae walked the fine line between outlandish and completely genuine. Fairy Mae seems blissfully ignorant of much of the world, and Ross’s choice to make the character seem childlike was very effective. However, she was able to engage a part of Fairy Mae that made it seem like she knew a big secret that the audience was not privy to. Knowing Elisabeth personally, I would say kudos to Roe for casting her in a role that seems to be tailor-made for her.

The rest of the patients of the cloisters are beautifully rounded out by Ben Singer as the calm Jeff , Monty as the playful Hannibal, Meg Dobbs as the almost completely silent artist Mrs. Paddy, and Theresa Meeks-Mosley as the tragically delusional Florence. Each actor is able to maintain their own unique performance while simultaneously adding dimension to the strong dynamic of the ensemble. Particularly apt is Singer’s portrayal of the young Jeff, a man who has come home from battle to find he has a “scar” on his face, and who has lost his passion for playing the piano. He finds himself in The Cloisters after returning home, and whose scar is in reality an emotional scar left after being the only survivor of his unit. Singer’s portrayal is simple yet evocative, a perfect fit.

Special consideration goes to Roxy Running and Mark Nidey, the nurse and doctor of The Cloisters, respectively. The two “sane” characters provide compassion and a sense of neutrality for the hijinks occurring around them. Running’s portrayal of Miss Willie was particularly capable as the understanding nurse who may have other reasons for staying at The Cloisters, and Nidey’s portrayal of the Dr. Emmett made him incredibly likable from the on-set. The audience could feel that the doctor was rooting for Ethel just as much as we were.

The most important message to take away from this show is that family doesn’t have to be the family you’re born with; it can also be the family you choose. Ethel discovers that the hurtful family she has been thrown into is perhaps not the family she is mean to endure. The Cloisters may be where her true family is, as seen by their unconditional love and acceptance of their new friend. That’s how this reviewer feels. That she was thrown into a crazy world without any expectations, and found that the heartwarming, and hilarious story was something she could relate to whole-heartedly. Bravo cast and crew of The Curious Savage, and bravo Dreamwell Theatre, on yet another beautiful piece of art!

Curious Savage opens Friday

Iowa City — Dreamwell Theatre's second show in their "Here I Stand" season is John Patrick's The Curious Savage, which opens Friday, November 11.

The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage, which Dreamwell has updated to current times, is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity. It is directed by Iowa City theatre veteran Gerry Roe.

Dreamwell founder Matthew Falduto says, "Curious Savage resonates today just as strongly as it did when it was first produced. We all know that person who is a little odd, a little eccentric and despite the pressures to conform, stands up and says "This is who I am. Accept me." And we love them for it."

The theme "Here I Stand" is taken from the quote "Here I stand, I can do no other." by Martin Luther. Each of the season’s offerings features characters who choose to be who they are, despite the consequences. This season Dreamwell celebrate the strength of character we can all achieve.

The show runs November 11, 12, 18, 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert St. Iowa City. $13 general admission, $10 senior/student. There will be a discount for veterans on Nov. 11 and 12. Call 319-541-0140 or go here for reservations.

Cast:
Fairy Mae – Elisabeth Ross
Jeff – Ben Singer
Hannibal – Monty
Mrs. Paddy – Meg Dobbs
Florence – Theresa Meeks-Mosley
Miss Willie – Roxy Running
Dr. Emmett – Mark Nidey
Lily Belle – Traci Gardner
Titus – John Crosheck
Samuel – Steve Polchert
Ethel – Linda Merritt

Cast chosen for Curious Savage

Iowa City - Dreamwell Theatre director Gerry Roe has chosen the cast for their upcoming production, The Curious Savage by John Patrick. The show opens November 11.

The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity.


Cast:

Fairy May - Elisabeth Ross
Jeff - Ben Singer
Hannibal - Monty Hendricks
Mrs. Paddy - Meg Dobbs
Florence - Teresa Meeks-Mosley
Miss Willie - Roxy Running
Dr. Emmett - Mark Nidey
Lily Belle - Traci Gardner
Titus - John Crosheck
Samuel - Steve Polchert
Ethel - Linda Merritt

Auditions for Curious Savage Coming Soon

Iowa City - Dreamwell's auditions for John Patrick's The Curious Savage are coming soon. Gerry Roe will direct. Performances will take place November 11-19 in Iowa City.

AUDITION WHEN and WHERE:
Friday, Sept. 23, 6 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room B
Saturday, Sept. 24, 1 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room C
Sunday, Sept. 25, 1 p.m. Iowa City Public Library, Room D

ABOUT THE SHOW:
The Curious Savage is about a recently widowed woman, Ethel Savage, whose step children don’t want her to use her inheritance for good works, so they commit her to an institution. Ethel becomes close to the unique individuals in the institution, who might just be more sane than her own step children. The Curious Savage is a comedy with a lovely message about the human spirit and choosing one’s identity.

HOW TO PREPARE
Sides will be provided. No preparation necessary. Copies of the play will be on reserve at the Iowa City Public Library.

AVAILABLE ROLES and DESCRIPTIONS:

The Guests of Cloisters:
Florence - polite, somewhat 'proper' patient. She believes her son John Thomas lives with her at The Cloisters.
Hannibal - friendly, but somewhat serious. Over weight. A statistician before becoming a guest at The Cloisters.
Fairy May - young, flighty but intelligent. Needy.
Jeffery - young, handsome but mired in self doubt and recrimination. Crippled by his own fears.
Mrs. Paddy - Older, somewhat brutish. Has chosen not to speak expect for occasional rants against anything and everything.
The Family:
Titus Savage - A US senator of dubious reputation. Serious, overbearing. Not overly intelligent.
Samuel Savage - a District Judge who has the distinction of having more decisions over turned than any other judge. Swallowed up by his brother's shadow.
Lilly Belle Savage - A bitter, humorless, controlling socialite with more husbands than Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Ethel Savage - The stepmother of the three Savage children. Trying to live a meaningful life. She is clever and has a clear vision of what she thinks is important in life. Possess a good sense of humor.

The Staff:
Miss Miss Wilhelmina - Kind, gentle and efficient, Miss Willie is responsible for most of the direct patient care. She is friendly, loving but no push over.
Dr. Emmett - The Doctor in charge of The Cloisters. He is solid, dependable, compassionate and pretty much the only stable person (except for Miss Willie) in the play.

NOTE FROM GERRY:
These character descriptions are accurate, but they are not set in stone. Ethel must be at least 10 years older than her stepchildren, but their ages are indicated only by their occupations. The doctor should be of mature years--he is, after all, entrusted with the care and maintenance of the guests of The Cloisters, some of whom are far less acclimated than the guests we meet. They are in the last stage before release, meaning they have made considerable progress toward a normal life. John Patrick says of them: "it is important...that the gentle inmates of The Cloisters be played with warmth and dignity. Their "Home" is not an "asylum" nor are these good people "lunatics." Any exaggeration of the roles will rob them of harm and humor. The whole point of the play is to contrast them with Mrs. Savage's children and the insane outside world. To depart from this point of view for the sake of easy laughs will rob the play of meaning. And both the performers and the playwright will have failed in their purpose."

Contact Gerry at 351-4952 with questions or to arrange an alternate time.