BWW Reviews: EVERYBODY LOVES OPAL at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre

Led by the charming Debbie Kraski, who commands the stage with grace and wit as the show's wacky protagonist, director Jenny Noel's talented cast delivers a pleasant and amusing summer diversion by way of John Patrick's Everybody Loves Opal, now onstage at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre.

Back for its third production at Nashville's venerable and buffet-laden venue, Everybody Loves Opal is farcical good fun that masks the show's golden hearted message of the importance of having good friends in one's life. And by show's end, audience members will feel as if they've spent the evening with a gang of their own friends, thanks to the lovely and heartfelt performances from the winning cast, directed with confidence and comic precision by Noel.

Great literature it's not - truth be told, Everybody Loves Opal is yet another example of formulaic dinner theater comedy. But what sets it apart is that aforementioned heart of gold beneath the metal-plated veneer of comic hijinks and hilarity. Noel's fluid direction shows her complete understanding and mastery of the genre, which allows her - and that fine ensemble of actors she's assembled - to take it far beyond what might be expected.

The set-up is simple: Crazy Opal Kronkie (played by Kraski) is a trash-collecting, barrel-searching (she'd be dumpster-diving if the play were set in present day instead of the 1960s milieu that gives this production its stylish surroundings), cat-loving eccentric who provides the play's heart and soul. Into her down-at-heels existence come three con artists: Gloria, Brad and Sol (Rosemary Fossee, Will Mayo and Chris Bosen). On the lam from the cops, the trio of dim bulbs see in Opal the possibility of riches ($10,000 in 1960 bucks, which would be a pretty good haul even today) to come. They hatch the idea of taking out a life insurance policy on the daft Opal then staging an accident that will pay off the policy's double indemnity clause. Easy-breezy and guilt-free, right?

Cleary, that's what these three not-so-bad guys assume. Until, that is, they each (in their own way) find themselves falling in love with the big-hearted, trusting-to-a-fault Opal. Well-paced, nicely played and creatively designed, Everybody Loves Opal won't change lives, but it will touch you, perhaps unexpectedly (sorry for the spoiler, folks!) and give you a smile to brighten the rest of your day.

Kraski is delightful as the play's lead, imbuing her with so much warmth that you are instantly smitten. Clothed by costume designer Billy Ditty in a whole chiffonier's worth of over-the-top (yet, somehow, spot-on) wardrobe, Kraski changes her voice to a throatier version of how she usually sounds and artfully maneuvers her body to give Opal a more plodding gait than her own graceful strut. Her physical transformation gives Kraski the support that pays of in her splendid portrayal of Opal  Kronkie that is wonderfully funny, yet never stereotypical. The result? She garners a huge ovation during the curtain call that follows the audience's rapt attention throughout the two-and-a-half hours of Patrick's play.

As the trio of ne'er-do-wells intent on doing Opal in, Fossee, Mayo and Bosen work well with one another, providing the necessary dastardly energy to lend credibility to their not-so-well-thought-out plan. Fossee is absolutely gorgeous in her early '60s costumes, makeup and hair design, and displays an onstage presence that belies her 18 years. A recent high school graduate who heads off to college this fall, Fossee is clearly one of the most talented actors of any age in Nashville: Her innate talent allows her to take on any role with style and confidence.

Mayo, on summer holiday from his studies at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, plays the effete intellectual to perfection, effortlessly spouting his wordy dialogue with aplomb and managing to wring quite a few laughs from the script. Bosen completes the trio with his trademark abilities, devolving into his character, leaving behind all hints of himself to create a memorable portrayal of the oafish hood to add to his burgeoning theatrical resume (which includes such disparate entries as Terrance McNally's The Perfect Ganesh, John Guare's Six Degrees of Separation, Shakespeare's The Tempest and the rollicking Hollywood-set farce Frankly, My Dear - how's that for an impressive display of acting versatility?)

Completing the show's cast are Lane Wright and Bryce Conner, fresh from their performances in The Rainmaker at Chaffin's Barn, playing a doctor and a cop, respectively. Wright is the perfect foil for Opal's one-liners and witticisms, while Conner gives a good reading of the lawman determined to protect his old friend.

Everybody Loves Opal. By John Patrick. Directed by Jenny Noel. Presented by Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Nashville. Through July 23. For reservations, call (615) 646-9977. For more information, visit the company website at www.dinnertheatre.com.

pictured (left to right): Will Mayo, Chris Bosen, Debbie Kraski and Rosemary Fossee

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