Counter Men Premieres @ Whitefire
Chuck Faerber's world premiere Counter Men, now onstage at the Whitefire Theatre, is peculiarly intriguing with a 14-character cast and just about as many plotlines. On the plus side, it's entertaining - to a point - with a mostly wonderful ensemble. On the negative side, its big picture gets bogged down by too many unnecessary stories. It can work in a soap on TV, but not on a tiny stage.The setting? The rump section of a diner-like restaurant in Glendale - great realistic set design by Davis Campbell - where an odd assortment of men hang out daily: an actor, a screenwriter, and a musician are among the brood. This is a suburb of Hollywood, after all, so it's not unusual for show biz folks to find a second home where they can dish the dirt, kind of like Dupars in Studio City. There are a couple of waitresses who know the men quite well, so, for the most part, what we see is a big extended family, except of course, for those making quick entrances/exits to and from the restroom, one of whom is branded a terrorist. A couple of the men are vets and have conflicting opinions with the younger guys about the war in Iraq. Mackie (Paul Haitkin) has a macho streak and brags about picking up women and videotaping his sexual trysts with them. Carl (Bart Braverman) has some serious issues with cancer. Joyelle (Marion Ramsey), the older and motherly waitress, has a son in Iraq and is in a constant state of anxiety for his safety. Ludy (Vanessa Herrera), the younger waitress, with a black eye and bruises on her arms, is clearly having some problems at home. Teo, a homeless filipino musician, who uses one of the booths to sleep in as well as a studio in which to compose, is attracted to Sackie (Naila Browne), a gal from Glendale's Water and Power, but he's timid about taking the first step to meet her. One of Mackie's conquests, Sheila, a real estate tycoon, gives up the business and eventually becomes a nun (Anna Nicholas). The stories go on and on, endlessly.
Counter Men Premieres @ Whitefire
Chuck Faerber's world premiere Counter Men, now onstage at the Whitefire Theatre, is peculiarly intriguing with a 14-character cast and just about as many plotlines. On the plus side, it's entertaining - to a point - with a mostly wonderful ensemble. On the negative side, its big picture gets bogged down by too many unnecessary stories. It can work in a soap on TV, but not on a tiny stage.The setting? The rump section of a diner-like restaurant in Glendale - great realistic set design by Davis Campbell - where an odd assortment of men hang out daily: an actor, a screenwriter, and a musician are among the brood. This is a suburb of Hollywood, after all, so it's not unusual for show biz folks to find a second home where they can dish the dirt, kind of like Dupars in Studio City. There are a couple of waitresses who know the men quite well, so, for the most part, what we see is a big extended family, except of course, for those making quick entrances/exits to and from the restroom, one of whom is branded a terrorist. A couple of the men are vets and have conflicting opinions with the younger guys about the war in Iraq. Mackie (Paul Haitkin) has a macho streak and brags about picking up women and videotaping his sexual trysts with them. Carl (Bart Braverman) has some serious issues with cancer. Joyelle (Marion Ramsey), the older and motherly waitress, has a son in Iraq and is in a constant state of anxiety for his safety. Ludy (Vanessa Herrera), the younger waitress, with a black eye and bruises on her arms, is clearly having some problems at home. Teo, a homeless filipino musician, who uses one of the booths to sleep in as well as a studio in which to compose, is attracted to Sackie (Naila Browne), a gal from Glendale's Water and Power, but he's timid about taking the first step to meet her. One of Mackie's conquests, Sheila, a real estate tycoon, gives up the business and eventually becomes a nun (Anna Nicholas). The stories go on and on, endlessly.
