Saturday, March 31, 2007
Each cast member plays several roles.
By GUY D'ASTOLFO
VINDICATOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Probably not many people are familiar with the play "Theophilus North," but by the end they might feel they know something about the man.
The drily comic drama, replete with quirky characters, is adapted from the last novel by Thornton Wilder. It is currently on the Youngstown State University Theater stage, in the round and directed by Todd Dicken. The lead character, Theophilus, is said to be based on Wilder himself.
The story begins in 1926 when Theophilus, a Yale-educated teacher living in New Jersey, hits 30 and develops an irresistible yearning to see the world. But he only gets as far as Newport, R.I., before his car breaks down.
Stuck there indefinitely, Theophilus quickly gets pulled into the lives of the city's idle rich, becoming a confidant and advisor who lends an outsider's wisdom to the insular group.
Cast
Andrew Kim brings Theophilus to life, endowing him with a clear mind and common sense. He's the straight man around whom the self-absorbed townsfolk swirl with their problems. He also serves as the narrator of his own story.
The charm of the play is in the fact that the other six actors in the cast -- Zach Campbell, David Munnell, Anthony Scarsella, Erin Richardson, Roxanne Hauldren and Rachel Rossi -- play multiple townsfolk. They repeatedly walk off stage as one character and return a few minutes later as another.
Because the stage is bare, the cast also introduces scene changes. Amusingly, they do this by "becoming" the location and then describing themselves to the audience.
"Theophilus North" is an imaginative choice for a play, but you have to stay with it, as it rambles along amiably until its point becomes clear: a meaningful life can be found wherever you are.
"Theophilus North" will be performed at Spotlight Arena Theater in Bliss Hall, on Wick Avenue, at 8 p.m. tonight and April 6 and 7; and at 3 p.m. Sunday. Call (330) 941-3105 for tickets.