It was like meeting an old friend.
On stage at the Lyceum Space, Kevin Armento's Bets & Blue Notes opened the Fritz Blitz 2008, which features the best plays presented in the festival over the last 15 years. Also, it was almost the same cast under the same director and choreographer (Don Loper and Hernando Gomez) as I had seen previously. It was not a tired redo, but an exciting, dynamic production.
Sammy (Duane Daniels), an ultra-straight guy who absolutely cannot keep his eyes off every lovely lady in sight, and Dean (John Garcia), a long- time gay friend, decide on a simple, straightforward bet. They will do a bit of role-reversal in that Sammy must pick up a gay guy, and Dean must become involved with a young woman.
Peter (David Dartt) becomes Sammy's target. It is a delightful accelerating romance. Frankie (Julie Sachs, the newbie to the cast) is Dean's selected conquest. These two victims become seriously involved. The title tells it all. You make a bet dealing with the heart, and you'll surely hit some blue notes.
Playwright Armento has created an interesting pace. The play opens with Sammy and Dean in a tony bistro in a relatively long scene. As the playwright develops each of the relationships, the scenes become ever shorter, until the they become almost one-liners. This works well.
The fifth member of the cast is Jamie Effros, whose character is listed in the program as "All others." Effros is the ultimate character actor. A very quick change of a shirt, a facial expression change, an altered voice, and he is totally somebody else. One has to look twice at the program to be assured that it is still him. Wow!
Sachs it's nice to see this recent mother on the stage again appears so innocent as her character is totally taken in by Dean. One ends up feeling very sorry for both Peter and her Frankie.
Bets and Blue Notes is, in many ways, a morality play. The dialogue is natural whether it be cocky guy-talk, gay-straight play, or light romance. While it is easy to forecast this ever-increasing ride to an eventual train wreck, it is fascinating to listen to and watch the cast get there. Please don't miss the ride; it is worth the drive downtown.
