I think it’s pretty obvious that we’re living in very contentious times. The outcome of the recent election has caused a lot of people distress and as the incoming administration begins to form, it only ups the ante. So…time out! If you need to take a breather and simply ESCAPE for a couple of hours, take a deep breath and head on out to Geneseo to take in Richmond Hill Players’ production of My Son is Crazy, but Promising by the very prolific playwright Tim Kelly and directed by Dana Skiles.
The synopsis, per the program, states: “Eccentric Bud Granger, Hollywood screenwriter, decides to give up life in the fast lane and buys a lodge in Tumbleweed, Arizona. The inn is past its time, but as it’s near the fabled ‘Lost Dutchman’s Mine,’ Bud thinks he might soon be a reclusive millionaire. What he didn’t figure on is that the lodge is full of crazy guests…a “spacey” little old lady, a terrible spy with his FBI handler, an emotional mobster and his aspiring starlet fiancée, and a honeymoon couple off to a rocky start. While the tactless former owner and slow local sheriff try to keep things together, the chaos takes off when Bud’s zany mother unexpectedly arrives! A missing flight bag, buried treasure, alien landings and a dead body create a tornado of chaos. However, despite the madness, miraculously and true to the author’s style, everything seems to work out for all these crazy characters.”
Hence the “escape” referred to above…this trite script with stereotyped characters and banal plot shored up by some clever dialogue and some solid performances may not require a lot of brain cells, but it does deliver a very pleased audience as evidenced by the nearly sold out theatre at Saturday’s show.
This production has a gargantuan cast of 14 for this small performance space, but Skiles handles the challenge quite well. Debuting in his first acting role ever as Bud Granger is Derek Bolme who delivers a laudable first effort. Standouts in this show are the always reliable Jonathan Grafft as Sheriff Bates, Jane Simonsen as the crazy old lady, and totally stealing their scenes are the bigger-than-life Samuel Carrington as Larry Lime and Tifany Simosky at Chi-Chi Vazoom.
So, before succumbing to the hectic holidays ahead take a break and treat yourself to a footlights feast…no basting required.
My Son is Crazy, but Promising continues at Richmond Hill Players Barn Theatre in Geneseo, Thursday through Saturday, November 21 through 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, November 24 at 3:00 p.m.
I’m Chris Hicks…break a leg.