The No-Name Show

[title of show] -- TheatreWorks New Milford -- Weekends thru July 31

Ashley McLeod, Mike L'Altrella, Carey Van Hollen,
and Rob Bassett. All photos by Richard Pettibone

Over the years there have been a lot of shows about…well…putting on a show, perhaps the most famous being Forty-Second Street, but there’s Kiss Me, Kate, A Chorus Line, Babes in Arms, Summer Stock, and we can’t forget The Producers, Noises Off and Lend Me a Tenor. Broadway (and Hollywood) often likes to look at itself in the mirror and the audience likes the feel of being behind the scenes. Well, [title of show], which recently opened at TheatreWorks New Milford, takes the premise one step further, for the musical is a chronicle of its own gestation, with the character names -- Jeff, Hunter, Susan and Heidi – the first names of the people who originally created and starred in the show. Laden with show business inside jokes and references, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially for those who stopped thinking about musicals about the time The King and I opened, but under the perceptive direction of Alicia Dempster, this is a delightful evening of musical theater with four talented actors who easily give the impression that it is they who are creating the show.

Why the odd name: [title of show]? Well, that refers to the line on the application for submission of an original musical to the New York Musical Theatre Festival, which authors Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell received three weeks before submission deadline. They couldn’t come up with a premise, so they decided to write a musical about writing a musical – they couldn’t come up with a title, so they just wrote in the words on the application’s line. Such is art imitating life, or vice-versa – it’s a fluid proposition.

So Jeff (Michael L’Altrella) and Hunter (Rob Bassett) set about chronicling their efforts to create a musical with the help of two actresses, Susan (Carey Van Hollen) and Heidi (Ashley McLeod). Somewhat at a loss, they appropriately title the first number in the show “Untitled Opening Number,” which details the standard requirements for an opening number in a Broadway musical. This having you cake and eating it to pervades the evening – many songs deal with accepted musical standards while, at the same time, capture the emotions of those who are creating the musical. It’s an intriguing conceit that works, and includes some Brechtian moments when the characters question whether they should be on stage since lines haven’t yet been written for them.

The musical also deals with the angst and anxiety inherent in the acting profession: the roles you accept just to get on stage, the endless casting calls, the self-doubts that haunt, the questioning of the ‘persona’ you are projecting, the envy and petty jealousies that arise when you are constantly being judged, often by standards that are, at best, arbitrary.

Set in what appears to be a rehearsal hall (set designed by Richard Pettibone), with musical director Steven Oliveri at the electronic keyboard (impassive throughout most of the evening until he questions why he isn’t being included in publicity photographs), the musical is dialogue-dense – you have to pay attention to the banter between the four actors to “get” what this is all about.

This is a show where there is no place for the actors to hide – they are out there in a minimal set with limited props – it’s all on them, and they deliver. Yes, timing of lines was, at certain moments, a bit questionable, but this was opening night – one can assume that it will become more fluid as the run progresses – but there’s no denying that these four actors know what they are doing, and do it quite well.

The bitchy chemistry between Jeff and Hunter is made manifest early on by L’Altrella and Bassett (Basset being the ‘bitchier’ of the two). Their interaction smartly captures the tensions and disagreements inherent in the joint creation of a work of art. The two actresses, each creating a distinct character, also function as something of a Greek chorus, commenting on the two men’s efforts. There are no “big” numbers in the show, but there are memorable musical moments, chief among them “Die Vampire, Die!” led by the luminous Van Hollen as she details the various ‘vampires’ that seek to suck away an artist’s creativity. Then there’s Heidi’s “A Way Back to Then,” which evokes the “At the Ballet” number from A Chorus Line, as it deals with young dreams and aspirations unfulfilled.

Carey Van Hollen explains about vampires

For those who occasionally drop by a theater to take in a road show of a mega-hit, the goings on in [title of show] may be a bit mystifying, but for those who are devotees of this uniquely American art form, [title of show] is a feast and an inventive, engaging evening of theater enhanced by four actors who create memorable characters. You either get the “Secondary Characters” song in the Montage medley, or you don’t. You may scratch your head at the “Monkeys and Playbills” number or revel in its absurdity (and the inherent rolling of the dice whenever a musical is boarded on Broadway). If you love musical theater then you will find that you are one of the nine people out of a hundred  who find [title of show] your “favorite thing.”

[title of show] runs weekends through July 31. For tickets or more information call 860-350-6863 or go online to theatreworks.us.

Next up at TheatreWorks is The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. One can only wonder how the 1962 film starring John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart will be translated to the stage.

Hello Birdie

Bye Bye Birdie -- Goodspeed Musicals -- Thru Sept. 8

Rhett Guter and the cast of Bye Bye Birdie.
All photos by Diane Sobolewski

What was once meant to be a satire on American teen culture and the phenomenon of Rock & Roll has, over five decades, become a walk down Memory Lane, a delightful exercise in nostalgia that Goodspeed Musicals has staged with all of its professionalism and understanding of the nature of the property and its audience. Thus, Bye Bye Birdie, which recently opened at the East Haddam stage, begins with a series of TV clips from the 1950s and early 60s, which sets the proper tone for this light-hearted romp that can’t help but bring a smile to the faces of those who once swung hula-hoops around their waists or wore coonskin caps.

The premise is simple: teen idol Conrad Birdie (based on both Elvis and Conway Twitty – “twitty” – “birdie” – get it?) has been drafted (as Elvis once was), and to take advantage of the media hype his manager, Albert Peterson (George Merrick) and Peterson’s secretary, Rose Alvarez (Janet Dacal), come up with the idea that Conrad will give “one last kiss” to a member of Conrad’s fan club before departing. The name chosen is that of Kim MacAfee (Tristen Buettel), a fifteen-year-old resident of Sweet Apple, Ohio, who has just been “pinned” by Hugo Peabody (Alex Walton). What does “getting pinned” mean? Well, it doesn’t refer to wrestling (or maybe it does).

 

Janet Dacal and George Merrick

 

Rose, Albert and Birdie (Rhett Guter) travel to Sweet Apple, trailed by Albert’s mother, Mae (Kristine Zbornik), the ultimate doting mother who has thwarted Rose and Albert’s romance. Birdie’s arrival upsets the placid Sweet Apple lifestyle and the MacAfee household, headed by Harry MacAfee (Warren Kelley, who ably channels Paul Lynde): teens become defiant (well, they stay out late) and parents wonder what’s wrong with kids these days.

The original 1960 Broadway production garnered Tonys for Best Musical, Best Actor (Dick Van Dyke), and best direction and choreography (Gower Champion). What’s up on the stage at Goodspeed is a rethinking of the original show, with some songs dropped and others moved to different positions, plus the inclusion of “Bye Bye Birdie,” which was written for the 1963 film. Under the capable direction of Jenn Thompson, aided by choreographer Patricia Wilcox, this version of Birdie sails along with nary a hitch, with efficient scene changes and a cast that, true to Goodspeed’s heritage, leaves it all up there on the stage.

 

Warren Kelley, Ben Stone-Zelman, Donna English and Tristen Buettel

 

The person who accompanied me on opening night offered this criterion for whether or not a show “works”: do you think about it the next morning? Well, there are quite a few moments worthy of morning contemplation, chief among them the artfully staged “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” ensemble number, as well as Dacal’s Rose transformation into “Spanish Rose.” Then there’s Birdie’s first number, “Honestly Sincere,” which literally knocks the cast dead, and the opening “Telephone Number,” which introduces the use of the aisles as part of the stage (something Goodspeed often does). Finally, when Albert tells his mother that she can go home, that he doesn’t need her anymore, Zbornik delivers a hilarious “A Mother Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” in which she commits hara-kiri, then tosses the imaginary knife at her son’s feet. However, while munching on your omelet you might pause as you remember the lyrics to such songs as “How Lovely to Be a Woman” and “One Boy” – they’re enough to set a feminist’s teeth on edge, yet you can’t judge Birdie by today’s standards; it is of it’s time, as were Flower Drum Song (“I Enjoy Being a Girl”) and Carousel (“What’s the Use of Wond’rin’?”).

 

George Merrick and Kristine Zbornik

 

No, this is not Sweeney Todd or Spring Awakening. This is an old-fashioned musical that seeks to entertain from start to finish without any heavy message (other than that teens should stay away from “loop-the-loop.”) Yes, most of the characters are stereotypes and, yes, the mores, male-female relationships and assumptions about middle-America are dated, but if you suspend your disbelief or, if you lived through the era of Sputnik and “Blue Suede Shoes,” you’ll understand, and you will also get the logic of the paean to appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show. Who’s Ed Sullivan? If you don’t know, ask your grandparents.

Bye Bye Birdie has been extended through Sept. 8. For tickets or more information call 860.873.8668 or visit: www.goodspeed.org.   

Toughen Up, Tony

West Side Story -- Connecticut Repertory Theatre -- Thru July 17

Here Come the Jets! Photo by Gerry Goodstein

The music fades, the lights dim, and from across the gym turned into a dance hall Tony and Maria see each other for the first time, and it’s love at first sight. The scene, as staged in the Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s production of “West Side Story,” is poignant but, alas, just a touch unbelievable, for we are asked to accept that there is instant chemistry between these two and, unfortunately, it’s just not there. The fault is in the casting, and since the couple’s rapturous engagement is the impetus for the musical’s development, it’s a detriment to an otherwise enjoyable production.

When it first appeared in 1957, “West Side Story” was an iffy proposition for its writer, Arthur Laurents, composer Elmer Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, given that it is based on a Shakespearean tragedy and that much of the story is told via dance, originally choreographed by Jerome Robbins. There’s also the ending, which left early audiences speechless – no big finale, just a body being carried off the stage and a forlorn young woman dealing with her loss. Of course, it eventually triumphed and went on to join the list of great American musicals.

CRT’s production, directed and choreographed by Cassie Abate, is sufficiently dark and gritty, staged against a background of metal bars, fences and drab colors (compliments of scenic designer Tim Brown) that capture the metropolitan jungle, the turf that the rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks (read Montagues and Capulets), fight over and seek to control. This internecine conflict, fueled by racism and poverty, is set against the dreams and desires of the two young lovers, Maria (Julia Estrada) and Tony (Luke Hamilton). Love is a powerful emotion, but in the world of “West Side Story” it cannot defeat anger, fear and hatred.

Estrada is a winsome, stars-in-her-eyes Maria. Initially girlishly giddy, she transforms into a mourning woman who forces the opposing gangs to come together. Blessed with a beautiful voice, she shines in “Tonight, “One Hand, One Heart” and her duet with Anita (Cassidy Stoner), “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love.” Hamilton is also well-voiced, but his take on Tony is that of a teenager awash in emotions of first love. He bounces up and down, as if envisioning a much-wanted birthday present, in “Something’s Coming” and simply does not convey the gravitas of a young man who has once been the leader of a gang.

Bentley Black, playing Riff, the current Jets leader, fares much better. He exudes authority, and in “Cool,” you accept that he has the ability to quell the emotions of the gang members eager to rumble. On the opposite side, Yurel Echezarreta, as Bernado, leader of the Sharks, is a dark force, a character that contains both anger and frustration behind a machismo façade. As for his girl friend, Anita, although Stoner may sometimes push the sauciness a bit too far, she nails the lead in “America” with her tart taunting of Rosalia (Tori Gresham), who wishes to return to Puerto Rico.

There are some stand-out moments in this production, chief among them the penultimate number in the first act, the rousing, operatic reprise of “Tonight,” and “Gee, Officer Krupke,” the Jets humorous send-up of the societal forces they must contend with: the police, the judicial system and representatives of the various social services who see them as nothing more than “cases” to be labeled and dealt with appropriately. There’s also the wonderfully staged “Dance at the Gym” sequence, in which Abate’s chorography is the strongest. Less so is the dream-like “Somewhere” in the second act – for all of its movement, it seems somewhat static and contrived. As a comparison, see what choreographer Doug Shankman did with the same number in Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s production of “West Side Story” (running though July 31).

CRT’s production is definitely enjoyable, but its parts don’t seem to add up to a consistent whole, as if Abate was unable to settle on a complete vision of what the production should be. At times very professional, it all too often seems to slip into staging and tentativeness one might associate with a high school show.

“West Side Story” runs through July 17. For tickets or more information call 860-486-2113 or go to www.crt.uconn.edu. 

The Show to See This Summer

West Side Story -- Summer Theatre of New Canaan -- Thru July 31

Julia Paladino and Zach Schanne. All photos by Keelin Daly

Recently there have been informal discussions amongst members of the Connecticut Critics Circle about viewing – and reviewing -- plays and musicals that have been seen many times before. One typical response has been: “Oh, not another production of (fill in the blank).” Yes, one has to labor against becoming jaded, and an antidote to the “Been there, done that” syndrome can be found in New Canaan at Waveny Park, where Summer Theatre of New Canaan’s “West Side Story” is running through July 31. From the first haunting whistle that calls the Jets together, this production sweeps you up and makes you forget you know the story, you know the score – you are once again a kid in a candy store reveling in all the delights being offered. Director Melody Meitrott Libonati and choreographer Doug Shankman have created a magical evening of musical theater that you simply don’t want to miss.

When it first opened on Broadway in 1957 (yes, almost 60 years ago) it received mixed critical response, but the musical, based on a concept by Jerome Robbins, with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, quickly captured the public’s imagination and became one of the most beloved musicals. Based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the story focuses on two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, fighting for turf rights on the West Side of Manhattan (an area that would soon be leveled to make way for Lincoln Center). Against all odds, two “star-crossed lovers,” Maria (Julia Paladino) and Tony (Zach Schane) attempt to defy racial boundaries, believing that there is a place, “somewhere,” where their love for each other can flourish.

Under the protective tent at Waveny their tragic story unfolds, and it is just about everything you could ask for. Yes, the music and songs are familiar, but the energy and intensity generated by this fine cast makes you believe that this is the first time this story has been told, the first time these numbers have been performed.

Paladino is superb as the young girl on the brink of womanhood, flush with hopes and dreams, giddy with the dawning awareness that she is “so pretty.” Playing against her unbridled vibrancy, Schanne creates a Tony torn by loyalties and desires. I defy you not to wipe a tear or two away from your eyes while watching their “balcony” scene.

There’s just so much energy up there on the stage that you often wonder if the tent’s fabric isn’t pulsating. The “Dance at the Gym” sequence, when Tony and Maria first meet, is sheer magic, enhanced by some nice lighting effects compliments of Daniel B. Chapman, and the “America” number is sharp, intense and witty, enhanced by Katie Stewart’s performance as Anita, and the first act’s penultimate number, “Tonight,” can’t help but stir the soul.

The biggest revelation is the second act’s “Gee, Officer Krupke,” meant to lighten up the mood with a bit of pointed humor before the eventual dark close. It’s non-stop movement and unbridled energy, a show-stopper in every way that drew thunderous, well-deserved applause. This is immediately followed by the angry/tender duet between Anita and Maria (“A Boy Like That/I Have a Love”) as the two women mourn their losses and confront their helplessness when what the heart feels cannot be denied.

Much of the initial, muted critical response to “West Side Story” was based on the fact that it defied accepted musical theater standards. There’s no big, closing number. In its place is a body being carried off the stage and a distraught Maria standing alone, center stage, a shawl pulled up over her head. It’s been written that the opening night audience on Broadway simply didn’t know what to do when the lights went down – there was stunned silence. Such was not the case in New Canaan. The audience knew exactly what to do – get to its feet and applaud for a production that is just about near-perfect, thanks to a stellar cast and some very wise and deft direction and choreography.

If you see only one production this summer, make it STONC’s “West Side Story.” You won’t be disappointed.

For tickets or more information call 203-966-4634 or go to www.stonc.org

All That Jazz in Ivoryton

Chicago -- Ivoryton Playhouse -- Thru July 31

Stacey Harris. Photo by Anne Hudson

Seems to be something recently in the Connecticut water that, after several gulps, brings on a slight euphoria, a “Hey, we can do that” feeling that has led Playhouse on Park in West Hartford to stage A Chorus Line (running until July 31), Summer Theatre of New Canaan to board West Side Story (just opened – more about it in a separate review) and the folks at the Ivoryton Playhouse to take on Chicago. All three shows are what you might call “Big” musicals that thrived on Broadway stages. The task for these Connecticut theaters has been to downscale (given space and budgetary considerations) while still delivering what people expect. Playhouse on Park was, with some minor quibbles, successful, and so is Ivoryton. As directed and choreographed by Todd L. Underwood, Chicago is often sassy and sleek and offers some fine performances by actors in roles that have become musical theater icons.

Those who are only familiar with the movie version of the show, which was released in 2002, may find the staged version a bit skimpy with regards to the book, written by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse and based on a play by Maurine Dallas Watkins. The film, as films are wont to do, opened up the story and allowed for greater character definition and interaction. The biggest problem with the show’s book is that one of the major plot lines is that accused murderess Roxie Hart (Lyn Phillistine) must face trial, which happens late in the second act, and it’s a downer, for the show has been sailing along quite nicely until this drag anchor is thrown out. Fortunately, it’s followed by a spot-on finale that unites the two leads in a great song and dance number.

The basic premise of the show is that murder pays, at least in 1920s Chicago. The aforementioned Roxie kills her lover and ends up in the Cook County Jail awaiting trial. There she meets the nightclub singer, Velma Kelly (Stacey Harris), also awaiting trial for allegedly knocking off her husband and her sister. These two, along with five other women, are under the watchful eye of Matron “Mama” Morton (Shenique Denise Trotman), who believes that one hand washes the other, often with cash. Velma is being represented by the shyster lawyer Billy Flynn (Christopher Sutton), who transfers his loyalties to Roxie as her star rises while he squeezes money from Roxie’s husband, Amos (Ian Greer Shain), a man of “transparent” qualities.

The show has some fine moments, including the opening number, “And All That Jazz,” in which Harris shows that she has the Velma character well in hand. During the number, Roxie commits her act of murder, and it’s done using one of two undecorated metal scaffolds that set designer Martin Scott Marchitto has inexplicably incorporated into the somewhat sedate (given we’re talking about the Jazz Era) scenic design. The two metal towers stand stage left and right and are visual sore thumbs – they’re also too tall: in the courtroom scene the judge presides from atop the scaffold stage right. He’s basically lost (perhaps because he’s somewhat poorly lit).

The cast, under Underwood’s guidance, nails most of the important scenes: “Cell Block Tango,” and the wonderful “We Both Reach for the Gun.” There are also classy renditions of “Me and My Baby” and “When Velma Takes the Stand.” There are, however, some disappointments. Shain’s “Mr. Cellophane” never truly evokes its vaudeville heritage (and what’s with the quasi-magic act at the end of the number?), and Trotman, in “When You’re Good to Mama,” “Mama” Morton’s signature song, seems a bit retrained, losing the opportunity to milk the numerous double-entendres for all they are worth. And then there’s the aforementioned trial scene during which the Mary Sunshine (Z. Spiegel) reveal moment is all but lost.

All in all, Ivoryton’s “Chicago” is an enjoyable production that could have been just a bit more…well… “jazzier.”

“Chicago” runs through July 24. For tickets or more information call 860-767-7318 or go to www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.

A Chekhovian Hells-a-Poppin'

Square Root of 3 Sisters -- Int'l Festival of Arts and Ideas -- Iseman Theater -- Thru June 25

Annelise Lawson and Annie Hagg

Think of Chekhov as rewritten by Kafka and directed by the Marx Brothers. That will give you some idea of the tone and tenor of The Square Root of 3 Sisters, part of the International Festival of Arts & Ideas currently playing at the Iseman Theater in New Haven through Saturday, June 25.

The basis for the play, written and directed by Dmitry Krymov, is, of course, Anton Chekhov’s The Three Sisters, but there’s more than a touch of The Seagull, The Cherry Orchard and Uncle Vanya thrown in for good measure, most of it played for laughs as Chekhov’s various themes are turned and twisted to fit the moment.

The mood is set before the curtain as the actors rush about setting the stage, which consists of nothing more than plywood sheets placed on the floor and cardboard boxes (the box designating the cherry orchard has “For Sale” stenciled on it), plus toilet paper and paper towels unrolled from the balcony to designate white birches.

The play itself really doesn’t unfold, it takes staggering steps as scenes are interrupted, lights come up and down, an unseen stage manager makes various comments and commands in a stentorian voice, various props are introduced, including a railroad which is built of ladders and stretches high up into house left with audience members supporting the “tracks.” A teapot slides back and forth across a table of its own volition and costumes have labels sewn into their necks that provide brief character descriptions. Trains, huffing and puffing steam, arrive and depart and, yes, alas, the three sisters are finally dispossessed, all of their worldly goods carted off, including a horse.

There are moments of slapstick and other moments of cerebral comedy, including jabs at Method acting a la Stanislavsky and Chekhovian angst. One of the finest and funniest extended moments is when Shaunette Renee Wilson, playing Olga, uses forks, spoons and saucers to create an “I don’t need love” rant.

There’s also an extended sequence when the cast dances with audience members to a waltz written by the actor, Anthony Hopkins, and another when Melanie Field, playing Irina, breaks out into “Someone to Watch Over Me,” supported by the cast playing various instruments including, I do believe, a kazoo.

Roles are not secure. Annelise Lawson is fired as Masha and replaced by Annie Hagg, who’s not sure of her lines so tries to stay on book; Niall Powderly gets the hook as Vershinin and is replaced by Kevin Hourigan, who is so excited at the opportunity that he gleefully races around the audience. Aubie Merrylees plays Trigorin – the only problem is, he’s in the wrong play – while Julian Elijah Martinez gets to destroy the scenery (such as it is) as the overly passionate Solyony and Bradley James Tejeda takes on a rather confused Tuzenbach (such confusion is understandable, since he is half-German, half-Russian).

Do you have to be up on your Chekhov to enjoy this exercise in controlled insanity? Well, it wouldn’t hurt, but if you can’t tell a seagull from a cherry orchard you will still enjoy this two-hour, intermission-less romp. It’s staged with style, flair and just a touch of wild abandon, a bit of magic (thanks to puppet designer Matt Acheson), some impressive lighting work by Elizabeth Mak, and obvious delight by all involved.

For tickets or more information go to the Festival’s web site: http://www.artidea.org/

A Tale of Two Obsessions

Buyer and Cellar -- Westport Country Playhouse -- Thru July 3

Michael Urie. Photo by Carol Rosegg

It’s a fiction. It’s a fantasy. Playwright Jonathan Tolins gets that out of the way right from the start of Buyer and Cellar, which recently opened at the Westport Country Playhouse. Well, yes, all plays are fictions, are fantasies, so you might think the playwright is stating the obvious, but given the subject matter he wants to make it perfectly clear that he made all of this up (well, most of it). It’s a one-man, “What if…?” play that starts with a well-documented fact: Barbra Streisand’s basement in her Malibu home is basically a mall populated by quaint shops and boutiques where she displays her “stuff.” The fantasy? Well, what if Streisand required a shopkeeper to work at the mall, dust the doo-dads and assist her when she “shops”? That’s the basic premise of this hilarious confection that’s a send-up of materialism, fame and fortune, and perhaps something more.

Alex More (Michael Urie), an out-of-work actor, gets a call from a former paramour alerting him to the job opportunity. He answers the ad not knowing who “the lady of the house” actually is and lands the job. What follows is a series of interactions between More and Streisand in the surreal world of her basement, interspaced with More’s conversations and confrontations with his boyfriend who, at first, is agog that More has landed this job but eventually begins to snipe at the Streisand legend.

Urie, who starred in the Off-Broadway production of the play, as well as on tour and in London, received numerous awards and nominations for his performance, and it’s easy to see why, for he not only creates a believable Alex, he also gives us “Sharon,” Streisand’s major domo, “Barry,” Alex’s excitable boyfriend, a touch of “Jim” (Streisand’s husband, James Brolin) and a moment or two of Broadway legend Arthur Laurents, all in a non-stop monologue that has him leaping, spinning and darting about the stage with only a table, a chair and a coffee table with which to work. You never actually see the “mall” he works in, but Urie, under the direction of Stephen Brackett (who directed the original productions), is able to bring it to life – the doll shop, the dress shop, the whole strange world Streisand has created.

Although the evening generates a lot of laughter, there’s an underlying theme that gives the play weight, and that is loneliness, for if people really do need people, then the acquisition of “stuff” cannot adequately fill that need. Then there’s the self-doubt about one’s physical beauty, a theme that has run through many of Streisand’s films, no more so than in The Mirror Has Two Faces, a movie that “Barry” does an incisive critique of, suggesting that it’s a take on Beauty and the Beast, with Streisand playing both parts.

Finally, the play deals with, and is itself a representative sample of, what we expect of those who achieve stardom, and the perverse enjoyment we get when the idol is found to have, if not feet of clay, at least human feet that often stumble or turn in the wrong direction. Thus, there’s a certain bittersweet quality to Buyer and Cellar, for we may come away chuckling but, in retrospect, we might pause to consider the thin line between comedy and tragedy.

Buyer and Cellar runs through July 3. For tickets or more information call 203-227-4177 or go to www.westportplayhouse.org.