BWW Reviews: New Jewish Theatre Continues 15th Season with Delightful LAST NIGHT AT BALLYHOO

The New Jewish Theatre continue their 15th season with Alfred Ury's (of Driving Miss Daisy fame) engaging and informative Last Night at Ballyhoo. It's a delightful slice-of-life comedy with an examination of an extended family and its peculiarities providing the stage for a look at whether Jews who moved South did or did not maintain, more or less of, their orthodox heritage, and how a kind of bigotry existed within their own community, in regards to this key distinction in behavior (keying on "club life" and their differing observations of Christmas and Hanukah). This is an intelligent, amusing work with plenty to offer.

The play is set in 1939, in Atlanta at a time during December of that year, when war was brewing in Europe, Christmas was arriving, and the Ballyhoo dance, a kind of cotillion, or prom, for Southern Jews was approaching, while David Selznick's multi-directed masterpiece, Gone with the Wind, was premiering. It's a busy enough time of the year without the addition stresses, but such is life for the extended family of Jews, It takes a bit to figure out the exact configuration of the family, but I believe that two widowed sisters live with their respective husband's unmarried uncle, Adolph. Each sister has a daughter with unique attributes, and each will wind up with the man they most deserve in life by the beginning of the New Year. Never mind the fact that War will change all that inevitably.

Greg Johnston is a lovable curmudgeon who has the unenviable task of handling the patriarchy of this extended family, and he's terrific. Peggy Billo is a brittle pistol as his sister-in-law Boo, and Laurie McConnell is just as equally off-kilter as his other sister-in-law, the dim-witted Reba. Alexandra Woodruff is very good as Reba's bright, college bound daughter Sunny, while Rachel Fenton absolutely dominates as the similarly aptly named, Lala, who appears to be somewhat detached from reality. Dylan Duke is the stuck up Southern Jew that Lala somehow snags, and Adam Moskal is the New York-bred, more orthodox choice, that Sunny winds up with.

Gary Wayne Barker does a fine job extracting the comedic elements in this rather socially conscious, but entertaining play by Uhry. Justin Barisonek's set is period perfect, Peggy Knock's props hit the mark, and Healy Rodman's costuming fits each character well. This is a solid production from top to bottom.

This excellent presentation of Last Night at Ballyhoo continues through December 18, 2011, and is certainly a prime contender for your attention. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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