"These Shining Lives": Surface Glimmer at CENTERSTAGE

SHOW INFORMATION: Through June 1. Tues – Sat at 8PM, Sat at 2PM, Sun at 2PM and 7:30PM. Tickets $10 - $60.  Call 410.332.0033 or go to www.centerstage.org for information and reservations.

◊◊ 1/2 out of five. 90 minutes, no intermission.  Adult situations.

 

In a season of extreme highs (Arsenic and Old Lace, A Little Night Music) and extreme lows (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead), it almost seems odd to end the season at CENTERSTAGE somewhere in the middle with the World Premiere of Melanie Marnich's These Shining Lives, a one act drama that tells the real life story of the women who hand painted the dials of watches while literally ingesting poisonous levels of radium.  These pioneer women not only forged paths for all working American women, but their plight and subsequent legal battles were at least partially responsible for regulations about workplace safety and the responsibility of companies to look out for the well being of their employees.  A potentially explosive, dramatic story, these brave women and thousands like them deserve a moving tribute.  Unfortunately, the story has been so sanitized and fact-filled, one is left with a "that was a nice story" feeling – think a Lifetime channel edit of a Steel Magnolias/Erin Brokovitch double feature.  Not to do either film a disservice, Ms. Marnich's earnest, well-meaning effort lacks the emotional content of the former and the call-to-arms punch of the latter. 

Director David Schweitzer (Crumbs from the Table of Joy) has done pretty much everything he can with the piece, nearly over-directing it just to give it an air of theatricality.  With sparse furnishings, well-chose projections, and seamless, constantly moving scene changes, Schweitzer and his design team (Alexander Dodge – scenic designer and Justin Townsend – lighting design) have given the piece a heightened theatricality; the expansive stage alone implies that the issues addressed are much larger than the small sample of people we see onstage.  Only Anita Yavich, costume designer seems to have missed the boat here.  Assigning each character only one costume is fine in many cases, but not so here, when so much depends on the passing of time, both literally and figuratively.  Nothing is done to show us that time has passed, let alone taken its toll on the ladies in question. 

The majority of the problem with this play can be pared down to two things.  First, the four women who inhabit the play are little more than types.  Perhaps this is a good way to introduce these women of a bygone era, but not much is done to supply more than surface characterizations, through no fault of the cast – they do the very best they can with what they have to work.  We have Pearl, the meek girl with a sense of humor and horrible jokes, Frances, the moral compass of the group, Charlotte, the sassy "modern" gal (and most rigid stereotype of the group), the type of girl who smokes and drinks on the sly and has a sharp tongue and even sharper wit, and finally, Catherine, our heroine.  Catherine is the "new" working gal, taking a job to help make ends meet while everyone at home pitches in to make up for her absence.  Lording over the ladies is the foreman, Mr. Reed, a nice guy who loves "his girls" but must tow the company line.  Everything here is just a tad too pat.  The most glaring example is Tom, Catherine's husband, so perfect he makes Mother Teresa pale in comparison.  Rugged and handsome (looks stunning in an undershirt), he cooks, cleans, and appears to be the perfect romantic lover.  Only a brief argument about how long Catherine should work and one mild complaint the first time she gets home late and dinner isn't started mar this otherwise Mr. Right. 

As I said, none of this criticism is against the performers themselves, all six of whom are doing fine work with mediocre material.  Erik Lochtefeld as Mr. Reed is a warm boss and an understandably nervous, shaking mess as he must enforce the Company way.  Jonathan C. Kaplan (A Little Night Music) is a warm, macho guy with a great heart. 

Cheryl Lynn Bowers gives Pearl a literally wide-eyed innocence and a Betty Boop-ish voice.  Her shy delivery and sweet demeanor make you naturally like this woman.  Kate Gleason's morally upstanding Frances is also a warm likeable person, more a touchstone than an overly pious goody-goody.  Her smart, no nonsense delivery makes her character a strong presence.  Kelly McAndrew nearly steals the show as Charlotte, the wise cracking tough gal, part Mae West, part Lucille Ball and all fire.  Terrific with a sharp one-liner, Ms. McAndrew is really at her best in those rare moments when the script gives her a chance to be more than one dimensional. 

Emma Joan Roberts, as Catherine, is a tower of strength and do-gooder in the face of tragedy.  She gets the lion's share of the work here, as both main character and narrator.  She is very good, but one gets the sense that she is chomping at the bit to get beyond the veneer of character she is given to portray.  I hope Baltimore audiences get to see her in a vehicle more worthy of her talents. 

Perhaps Ms. Marnich will continue working on These Shining Lives.  Like the numbers they paint on the watch faces, the play offers only a faint glow of what could have been.

 

PHOTOS: By Richard Anderson, courtesy of CENTERSTAGE.  TOP to BOTTOM: (Clockwise from top left) Cheryl Lynn Bowers, Kate Gleason, Kelly McAndrew and Emma Joan Roberts; Emma Joan Roberts and Jonathan C. Kaplan; Kate Gleason and Cheryl Lynn Bowers; and Emma Joan Roberts.

 

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