Jane Galloway

BWW Reviews: VANITIES, the Musical at Theatre Lab, Gimmie a T for Tumultuous!

Pompoms, popularity, sorority life and a mid-life crisis are just the tip of the iceberg in VANITIES, the musical. VANITIES, a play by Jack Heifner, opened Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in New York in 1976. The cast included Kathy Bates as Joanne, Jane Galloway as Kathy and Susan Merson as Mary. In 1981, the play was taped and televised on HBO starring Annette O'Toole, Meredith Baxter Birney and Shelley Hack. Needless to say, this script is powerful. The musical was adapted by Jack Heifner with music and lyrics by David Kirshenbaum. When a popular play is transformed into a musical, I am doubtful, but this musical had its moments.

Bay Street Players Present VANITIES, Opening 2/3

Vanities, the laugh-out-loud comedy about the friendship among three small town girls coming of age in the 1960s and '70s, opens at the State Theatre in downtown Eustis on February 3 and runs for three consecutive Sunday nights through February 17. This bittersweet comedy by Jack Heifner is an astute, snapshot-sharp chronicle of the lives of the three young women as they prepare to graduate from high school, navigate college, and launch out into the wide world. It is the story of the nature of friendship and how it can change through time. BSP's production is directed by David Clevinger and includes the talent of Stephanie Kuzicki, Mariah Lester and SaraJane Olson.