FALLEN ANGELS -- Saint Mary's University

playwright: Noel Coward
director: Judy Myers
set designer: Kit Mayer
light designer: Kirstin "Fluffy" Blake
costume designer: Caitlin Murphy
cast: Caitlin Murphy, Jhardon Milton, Claire Murphy, Andrew Russell, Allison Fisch, Rick Baustian

Two, well-to-do, married women come unglued when they get word that Maurice, a man with whom they both have had an affair with (prior to being married) is in town and wants to meet with them.

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Although this isn't the most popular of Coward's plays, there's still an obvious Noel Coward-ness about it, which is what makes it work.  And what is that Noel Coward-ness....?  The ability to work the English language with delightful characters in a comedy of manners.

The production was fine.  The set was gorgeous, and the lighting appropriate.  The acting was generally fine -- about average for a college production.  The young women did quite an admirable job and really held their own.  The men playing their husbands were much too feminine to be believable -- I still don't know if that was intentional ... to suggest reasons for the marriage troubles (and I have read that some suggest that the men were having their own affair with each other), or if it is a result of the actors who were cast.  In either case, it wasn't helpful.

Still...a delightful production of a rarely seen play.

THE VELDT -- Rushford-Peterson High School

Rushford-Peterson High School Theatre

script: Ray Bradbury
director: Forrest Musselman
cast: Andy Mackenzie, Shelby Norstad, Alex Courrier, Kate Mackenzie, Stephanie Wick, John Klungtvedt

A 'Twilight Zone'-ish story where man gets what he deserves when relying on technology to to raise his children. George Hadley buys the latest technology, a room which brings forth whatever the user in the room can think of. The room becomes the nanny for the spoiled Hadley children

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I thought that this performance went well. The technology used seemed to time out well and not be too distracting.

Some of the acting was still a bit weak. Understandably, these are still high school students (at least one a junior high student), but they still need to know the basics -- being audible, don't mumble, and don't upstage yourself.

Some of the performances were surprisingly strong. At least two were too weak, which could hurt them in competition.

An enjoyable evening of theatre, though.