Theater²

Cross my heart: none of this was planned. Last weekend's theater experience was to consist only of Hairspray with the family. Yet potential boredom reared its vacant head during the drive home, and we sidetracked to see Oedipus the King, Mama!. I should have been satisfied with that, but while tinkering on Twitter, two theaters I follow held different contests. I took a chance, not expecting to win anything, retweeted one tweet and answered a trivia question from another.

So yesterday found us reaping the benefits of taking chances.

Dr. Cerberus

In Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's new play, 13-year-old Franklin Robertson, bookish and not very athletic, struggles with growing up near Washington, DC in the early '80s. His brother Rodney, a high school jock, constantly teases him. His parents try but just don't seem to understand him and his fascination with horror films. The only thing Franklin can cling to while riding out the storm of his family are his imaginative short stories, those classic horror films and the late night TV host who introduces them: Dr. Cerberus. Franklin deeply and wholeheartedly believes that Dr. Cerberus will make things better, if only he can find some way to become his co-host.

A visit from Franklin's favorite Uncle Jack, supposedly to recover from the removal of a brain tumor, sets in motion a chain of events that will affect Franklin and the ties that bind his family together.

Dr. Cerberus was a fantastic and funny coming-of-age tale, thanks to both Aguirre-Sacasa's words and to the performances by the cast. Franklin's father Lawrence (played by Steven Culp) believed that what he's doing was for the best. And yet, my mouth dropped open with shock as he tried to squelch his son's dreams because he didn't want to see him get hurt. Lydia (played by Candy Buckley) straddled the line between monster and mother, also wanting what was best for her son as long as he didn't wind up hurt or like his Uncle Jack. But she did it with a comedic flair. In fact, she had the best one-liners throughout the play. (And Buckley's delivery is spot-on hysterical.) Jarrett Sleeper's performance as older brother Rodney showed that even through all the teasing, he really does care for his brother. When he noticed his parents doing to Franklin what they did to him, his protective side popped up, and he spoke out against their wishes. Through it all, Franklin (admirably played by Brett Ryback and aging from 13 to 24 while on stage) struggled to reach his dream of going to NYU and becoming a writer while also dealing with the added issue of his budding sexuality. And not to forget Jamison Jones who performed many other roles: Dr. Cerberus, Uncle Jack and Franklin's high school English teacher -- all the men who had positive influences on Franklin's life..

Another great show from South Coast Repertory.

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The Marvelous Wonderettes

It's 1958 at the Springfield High Senior Prom, and the girl group the Marvelous Wonderettes fills in as a last-minute replacement when the Crooning Crabcakes are unable to perform. Beginning with Mr. Sandman, the girls sing their way through the good and bad times at school. Missy Miller has a secret crush on her teacher Mr. Lee. Suzy Simpson is so in love with her boyfriend Richie who runs the lights. Betty-Jean "B.J." Reynolds and Cindy Lou Huffington are best friends until Betty-Jean discovers a hidden infidelity with Lucky Lips. By the end of the prom, the girls take their leave, with dreams and hearts intact.

But flash forward to 1968 at the Springfield High Class Reunion. Suzy married her Richie, but now she just wants a little Respect. Missy finally got her teacher, but wonders if he's ever going to marry her with Wedding Bell Blues. Betty-Jean married her high school sweetheart but thinks he's still cheating because of some Lipstick on Your Collar. And Cindy Lou, she fell in love with the Son of a Preacher Man.

The Marvelous Wonderettes was a fun-filled trip through the late '50s and '60s, showcasing many of the classic songs from those times. I liked that this wasn't simply a revue of songs; creator Roger Bean wove them into a great story about friendship and love. And thanks to the wonderful performances of the four actresses -- Bets Malone and Beth Malone from the original New York production, Darcie Roberts and Lowe Taylor -- I laughed and even sang (under my breath) through the entire show. It was nice to enjoy something that was, to me, pure entertainment. Everyone had a great time. Every laughed. Even a group of young girls were dancing around the stage to the music during intermission.

The perfect end to a perfect day of theater.