March 2012: 36th Humana Festival of New American Plays

My annual trip to Louisville, Kentucky for the Humana Festival is one of my theatre-going highlights of the year even though few of the shows end up being highlights of my theatre-going year. You never know what you're going to get, but it's still fun to go and I'm not the only person who thinks nothing of seeing 7 plays over 2-3 days (I squeezed all 7 shows into 2 days this year so I could get back to STL to see a Sunday matinee of Bring It On, more on that later). In order of viewing, here is my report:

The Veri**on Play by and starring Lisa Kron

This madcap romp is fun and lightweight (especially for the Humana Fest), but it's really just an extended skit about poor customer service by, you guessed it, Verizon Wireless. Much of the humor is obvious and forced (the main character joins a support group for customer service victims), but the (from-out-of-nowhere) musical finale, featuring a song called "Can You Hear Me Now?" written by Jeanine Tesori (of Broadway's Shrek, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Caroline or Change), is energizing in an Up with People sort of way.

Death Tax by Lucas Hnath

At first I was completely put off by the writing (very repetitive) and direction style ("just stand there and say your lines as fast as you can"), but was quickly taken in by this family drama if only for the first 4 (of 5) scenes. Death Tax concerns a dying matriarch's wish to stay alive long enough so that her money-grabbing daughter will have to pay more in inheritance taxes once the play's title goes into effect. Enlisted in the plot are a private nurse, who will be paid handsomely if the matriarch makes it past the deadline, and the nurse's hospital administrator semi-boyfriend, who turns his eye to the money exchange as long as he gets a piece of the pie. So gripping are all four characters that I couldn't wait to see how everything panned out in the final scene, only to absolutely hate the final scene, which jumps forward 20 years (the matriarch is still alive) and unwisely jettisons the three other characters and introduces one new one. It's not the climax that I (or anyone I spoke to about it) wanted to see and it just seemed so out of place. Wanted: a better resolution to the play we thought we were watching.

The Hour of Feeling by Mona Mansour

Every year there is at least one very serious play that I just don't care anything about, whether it be the subject matter or the characters. Unfortunately, this year's entry was The Hour of Feeling, which concerns a Palestinian, with a overbearing mother and a new, akward relationship, attempting to make an impact on the academic literary world when invited to speak at a stiff, upper-crust university in London in the 1960s. Yawn.

Oh, Gastronomy! by various writers

This year's late night (or early morning depending when you go) show featuring the acting apprentices was a winner as usual! All of the sketches concerned food, which is ripe for comedy, but also featured some very moving dramatic moments too. Bravo to this year's new acting talent!

Eat Your Heart Out by Courtney Baron

Tied for best of the fest! It takes awhile for it to get going, most of the conflict and the discovery of how the characters relate to each other comes rather late, but when it does you don't want it to end (and unfortunately it ends really quickly). The characters include a divorced mother, her morbidly obese daughter (plus the daughter's skinny male best friend), her internet-arranged first date, and the wanting-to-adopt couple she has to interview in her job as a social worker. Outstanding ensemble acting elevates the script, which really needs to flesh out its too-soon ending, and provides an emotional knockout.

Michael von Siebenburg Melts Through the Floorboards by Greg Kotis

I expected a lot more from the librettist and lyricist of Urinetown, that great musical satire. But, Floorboards is overly long and yet another entry into the vampire canon, only this time they crave meat instead of blood, though the other themes already explored endlessly in better vampire vehicles are the same. Unfortunately, absurb and boring is not a good combination.

How We Got On by Idris Goodwin

Also tied for best of the fest! Which was a surprise since this was the only show that was not even half full (and on a Saturday night no less during one of two "industry" weekends). Shame on you theatre professionals from across the country for choosing to party instead of seeing theatre (and don't use the Louisville vs. Kentucky Final Four game as an excuse, it was over by curtain time). Anyway, this play about three Midwestern kids in the 80s dreaming of making it big in rap was outstanding. Narrated by a sassy, vinyl spinning radio DJ, it packed an emotional wallop as the three main characters search for their way in life and music, eventually realizing that the act of creation is more important than any success achieved in doing so. An excellent end to the festival!

Until next year!

(FYI, I never go see the three 10-minute plays also on view since I would have to drop one of the full-lengths in order to do so. Plus, 10-minute plays are not my cup of tea. Are they anyone's?)