BWW Reviews: St. Louis Shakespeare's ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS

Anton in Show Business, written by playwright Jane Martin, has some clever ideas going for it, including taking on the sacred institution of Anton Chekov himself, as well as examining the ongoing conflict between art and commerce. However, it comes off as more a collection of interesting and amusing bits and pieces, than the pure farce it masquerades as. St. Louis Shakespeare has concocted an engaging production of this work that's occasionally hilarious, and definitely worthy of your time and attention.

The plot centers around three actresses who are struggling to stage a production of Chekhov's Three Sisters in San Antonio, TX, not exactly the theatre capital of the western world. Holly is a fairly successful actress who's had her surgery-enhanced face and body splashed on the cover of TV Guide, and represents the only impetus for staging this show in the first place. She forces the producers to hire Casey and Lisabette, even though they observe that the pair clearly lack the talent necessary for the roles. They wind up forging a sisterly bond while dealing with funding issues, as well as a fiery Polish director. But, when Dreamworks beckons her to replace an actress in an upcoming film, will Holly hop the first plane back to Hollywood, and leave the production in the dust?

The three primary parts (the "three sisters") are played by: Sabra Sellers as the vacant, self-absorbed Holly; Amy Kelly as Casey, a tough, and hardened soul, who's already lost one of her breasts to a malignant tumor; and Gabrielle Greer as the spunky, but clueless Lisabette, a rube who's decided to leave her elementary teaching position to pursue her dreams of show business success. All three deliver solid performances, but the roles are written more like caricatures than characters.

Andrea Purnell is enthusiastic as the Stage Manager (a kitchen sink tribute to Thornton Wilder), but she's especially intense and outspoken as T-Anne, the Afrocentric director who's initially hired for the project, who takes a dim view of working from a script. She also lends a strange cheeriness to her portrayal of the tobacco sponsor's representative. Andra Harkins elucidates Martin's views painfully and succinctly as the executive director of the theatre troupe, Joe Bob, and she absolutely steals the show as Witkewitch, a Polish director who lives and breathes Chekhov.

Nicole Angeli amuses as Kate, the lesbian production manager who's incredibly vague about her job and inspirations, but far too glib about matters concerning her personal life. Angeli is also effective as Ben, a soft spoken and married country singer who falls under Holly's spell, and as Jackey, a flamboyant costume designer. Maggie Murphy contributes nicely as Joby, a part-time critic who speaks up from the audience on occasion; usually to deride a particular choice made by the playwright. In an odd twist, most of what Joby is saying is valid, and to the point. It's a pity that Martin has the character leave before the show really ends, but then, maybe that reveals the author's opinion of critics in general.

Carolyne Hood's direction is uneven in spots, with the first act coming off way too forced and shrill to be funny. But, the cast seemed to find their bearings during the second act, and the laughs came forth with much greater frequency. Cristie Johnson's whimsical scenic design employs movable backdrops painted to resemble post cards from the locales represented, as well as vintage advertising. Jennifer Krajicek's costumes are nice fits for each of the characters depicted, and Natalie Smith's lighting scheme is well executed and designed. Jeff Roberts contributes some clever song choices to set the mood as sound designer.

St. Louis Shakespeare's amusing production of Anton in Show Business continues through August 15, 2010 at the Grandel Theatre.

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