Victorians end year on 'Sofa'

The cast of the Victorian Players are ending the season on an upbeat note.
By MARGARET NERY
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Before bringing down the curtain on a season that has been filled with a variety of outstanding productions, the Victorian Players reached back into their archives and reclaimed Jean McClure Kelty's "Horsehair Sofa."
First viewed by an audience 10 years ago and carefully stored away ever since, "Horsehair Sofa" was dusted off, polished and presented once again onstage Thursday at the Little Theatre off Spring Common, not only as the climax to an interesting season but as a tribute to the author.
The well-constructed, upbeat plot imaginatively combined the atmosphere of the 1960s with that of the Victorian era and in the process became a hilarious comedy that delighted the appreciative audience that nearly filled the small theater.
The story
Basically, the production revolves around a young couple who purchase a beautifully preserved Victorian home. Among the lovely paintings and comfortable furnishings they have inherited is a monstrous horsehair sofa. And for some unknown reason that sofa attracts and holds a fascination for a group of strange eccentric characters.
Like any typical married couple, Dr. Alexandra Tate (excellently portrayed by Marilyn Higgins) and her husband, Peter Tate (C. Richard Haldi) sometimes disagree and often poke fun at each other, but, up to a point, they enjoy life in their new surroundings with their cat, well-trained dog, and a good friend, Wade Felger (Brendan Gilmartin).
Suddenly their serene lifestyle is disrupted as a weird assortment of strange characters descend on their home. The only thing these invaders seem to have in common is their determination to see, feel and, possibly, finally own the sofa.
Uninvited guests
Among those making themselves at home in the Tate house are Cyreneus Betthlewiat (Dawn Hoon), a fortune teller who sets her tent up on the lawn; Howard Tidwiggle (Bob Secrist), a flamboyant interior decorator; Mortimer Mottleby (Rex Judd), presumably a writer; and Maria Von Trapp (Carlene Hoon), who often bursts into song.
Add to that list of uninvited guests Imogene Sparkler and Meticulous Sparkler (Jeanne Hanuschak and Rollin Michael), overly dramatic actors who continually ham it up. Then there is a bickering threesome, Flower, Rain and Sky (Pat Schauwecker, Carol Mathews and Rosa Dalbec); a confirmed hippie, Alpha, (Joe Higgins); and a wealthy (maybe) Texan named Gooch (John Dalbec). Also entering the mix is Detective Finder (Holly Taylor) and Winkin, Blinkin and Nod (Lauren Stevens, Lauren Wine and Cheyenne Craig), who want to feel the vibes of the sofa.
Keep the secret
It takes the smart and good looking Dr. Tate to finally figure out what this assortment of way-out characters has in common and the mystery of the sofa. ... but since the late Jean McClure Kelty would not want anyone to reveal the secret of "The Horsehair Sofa," theatergoers will have to find out for themselves.
Credit for the outstanding production goes not only to those onstage extroverts who made this season finale a laughing matter, but to Joan Hamilton, the director, and to Rosa Dalbec and Tom Copeland, who were responsible for the authentic setting, and to those who created the colorful costumes.
If you enjoy burlesque-type shows, with a hint of a mystery -- this one is for you!