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By David Munnell
By David Munnell
Youngstown
Originally produced in 1940 on Broadway, “George Washington Slept Here” was the last collaboration of famous duo Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. These two were most well known for their stage plays from 1930 until 1940 with shows such as “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” Most of the plays written by these men were instant hits, and “George Washington Slept Here” was no exception.
Neither is the Youngstown Playhouse’s rendition led by director Tom O’Donnell.
The show’s plot actually is a precursor to a couple of familiar sitcoms: “Green Acres” and “Newhart.” It shows a typical New York family trying to leave the confines of the city to pursue a simpler life in the country. Of course, chaos and shenanigans ensue.
The “typical” New Yorker in this case, is Newton Fuller, played by Terry Shears. He decides to buy a house in the country that George Washington supposedly slept in. Of course, one would never guess that’s the case based on the condition of the dilapidated house. His unwilling wife, Annabelle, played by the indomitable Molly Galano, and their daughter, Madge, played by Kate Starling, accompany him.
With the daughter is her boyfriend, Steve Eldridge, played with Rock Hudsonesque flair by Matthew Di Battiste. The keeper of the grounds is the simple Mr. Kimbler, played by Brian K. Dew. Finally, there is a whole slew of visitors who pop in and out to cause trouble for the struggling family, most notably an actress named Rena Leslie, played by Liz Nalepa; Newton’s Uncle Stanley, played by Victor Garcia; and Annabelle’s nephew, Raymond, played by Zach O’Connor.
The first thing to notice in this production is the fantastic set design by Jim Lybarger who built not one but essentially three sets as we watch the dilapidated farm house transform from shabby to livable over the course of the four months the play is set in. It’s an impressive feat, though a little clunky for set changes between scenes.
Of course, the set would be nothing without the fantastic efforts of the cast. Though some of the actors playing incidental characters made some odd acting choices, the show is phenomenally held together by the two leads, Shears and Galano, as the Fullers. Shears’ energy and look onstage remind me of a star of old black-and-white-films. He also looks remarkably like Walt Disney, but the character work is solid and enjoyable.
Naturally, Galano’s performance is effortless as the New York socialite who very obviously does not want to live in the country. Watching her complement Shears’ energy with her dry, acerbic wit are some of the funniest moments I’ve seen in recent theater.
“George Washington Slept Here” at the Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, is not to be missed. It runs today and next Sunday at 2 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.