BWW Reviews: BLEACHED BLONDE BETTY

CAT ON MY HEAD PRODUCTIONS premiered Brooklyn College Alumni Tom Kelly's BLEACHED BLONDE BETTY this month in New York. With original music by the Allison Leyton-Brown and directed by Dan Patrick Brady, BLEACHED BLONDE BETTY played a limited engagement at the Workshop Theater (316 West 35th Street, 4th Floor). Performances began Thursday, March 14 and continued through today - Sunday, March 24.

BLEACHED BLONDE BETTY is the story of Betty Anderson, a writer rapidly going nowhere. Ok, maybe she's going to work but that's about it. Nonetheless, she is beginning to loose faith, as her graduate writing program seems to be leading her to a lifetime of waiting tables. The only positive in her life is Sammy, the kindly old security guard she meets at the Modern Art Museum. Once Mystic, Betty's stripper roommate, introduces Betty to her new boyfriend, Bobby, Betty's life begins to quickly mirror the pulp fiction heroines of her unread stories.

The production starred Karen Stanion (Reasons to Live, Provincetown Theatre) as Betty, Joe Diomede (award-winning actor for the film Sharp Love, Sharp Kittens) as Bobby and Kristen Lazzarini as Mystic. The production also starred John Lenartz (of Broadway's Inherit the Wind) as Sammy, Stacy Ann Strang as Anna/Denise, Ryan Lee (Side Man at the Ensemble Theatre Comapany) as Nathaniel, Gregory Kostal as Harold and Richard Kent Green as Frank. The production featured scenic and lighting design by Lauren Parrish, and costume design by Lucy Goldberg. Lauren Parrish pulled double duty as the production manager and DeLisa White designed the sound. Laura Hirschberg filled out the roster as the AEA production stage manager.

Overall the show was pretty entertaining. The idea of real life intertwining with a pulp fiction story was pretty strong. My only disappointment was in any and all of the Italian-American characters. Again, we had to see them as greasy Jersey mobsters. They were borderline caricatures.

On the flip side, I thought the "Specialist" - Harold, the mobsters' muscle was refreshing. Sure he was a coldhearted killer, but he was three-dimensional. His love of stand-up and blogging was really humorous. Also, Gregory Kostal's performance was a standout.

Speaking of standouts, the production value of show was great. The lighting, staging and especially the use of projected text made you feel as if you were reading Betty Anderson's story. If anyone deserves a nod at the New York Innovative Theatre Awards, celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, it is this production team. (If you get a chance, give them acknowledgement at www.nyitawards.com.)

Tickets are $18 dollars and still available for today's closing night. They are available now online at workshoptheater.org. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the theater 30 minutes prior to performance. The show has a running time of 90 minutes with one intermission. For more information on the Workshop Theatre Company, check them out at workshoptheater.org. The Workshop Theatre Company is home to accolades from The New York Times, New York Innovative Theatre Awards, and two Drama Desk nominations.

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