Another popular entry at the Humana Festival of New American Plays was Anton in Show Business, written by the mysterious Jane Martin (often thought to be a pseudonym for director Jon Jory). This spoof covers it all, from the naive ingenue (Monica Koskey), to the seen-it-all, 36-year-old veteran (Gretchen Lee Krich) and the surgery-enhanced TV star (Caitlin Miller). These three unlikely actresses all wind up in a Texas production of Chekhov's The Three Sisters. Like Chekhov's characters, they all search for meaning in a world of politics, greed and corruption. Along the way, the playwright takes this opportunity to poke fun at wealthy patrons, corporate sponsors (in this case, a tobacco company is the easy target), a snotty British casting agent, an egotistical African-American director, and a disillusioned boyfriend. There's also a member of the audience who won't be quiet. She interrupts several scenes to voice her opinions, and then confesses she's a critic -- for a weekly shopper. Martin casts women in all the roles, both males and female, perhaps to remind us of the limited opportunities women have in the arts. She has written some hilariously funny lines, such as a producer's confession that her mother "was the only American killed by prairie dogs." The has-been actress admits that her day-job consists of working in a slaughterhouse, which seems funnier than saying she's a waitress.
The comedy rises to a climax in a scene in which the three actresses get drunk after rehearsal. Dressed in pajamas, they hang out in a hotel room together and lapse into typical "girl talk." Although there's no sexual tension during this "sleepover," the situation proves amusing when an amorous producer makes her move.
The one-liners in Anton fly fast and furious, much to the viewer's delight. In the rare moments when one has the opportunity to catch one's breath, the play reveals much about life in the theater. Anton In Show Business ends on a slightly too-serious note for all the absurdity that precedes it, but otherwise, it's an entertaining look at the joys and pitfalls of life behind the footlights.
