Every era has its controversies. Since theatre represents the era from which it comes, here in
the United States, attitudes about the women’s movement were presented by
feminist plays. The Black movement
found African American writers sending forth their messages. Today, with the Gay rights movement in
full swing, it is only logical that some of that community’s issues reach the
forefront.
Same sex marriage, except in Islamic countries and the United States,
is not a major issue. Same sex
marriages are legal in eleven countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada,
South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and Denmark). In addition it is legally recognized in
Israel, Aruba, Curacao, Saint Maarten, Mexico and Brazil. New Zealand passed legislature
approving same sex marriage in August.
STANDING ON CEREMONY:
THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS, started in 2011 in Los Angeles as a series of
fund raising events, when the issue of same sex marriage was in the news in an
on-again, off-again legal fight for legalization in California. Money from the
stagings was donated to marriage equality organizations.
The 90-minute play, as conceived by Brain Shnipper, is not an attempt
to provide a balanced viewpoint on the issue, but is a celebratory look at gay
marriage, complete with its humorous, touching, and controversial issues.
In LA and New York, it was presented as a staged reading with a
rotating cast of celebrities taking the roles on any given night reading parts
while standing behind podiums.
At Cleveland Public Theatre, where the show is presently running, there
is a set cast and the scenes are acted out, with memorized lines, costumes, a
set, and clever staging.
The script, which consists of nine playlets, is the work of writers
whose accolades include the nominations and/or receipt of Pulitzer Prizes,
Obies, Emmys, and Tonys. Each presents
his/her unique take on before, after and during the “I do.”
The first act consists of:
•THE
REVISION Jordan Harrison’s amusing
look at how two men go about writing their wedding vows to reflect the limited
options available to a gay couple.
•THIS
FLIGHT TONIGHT Wendy MacLeod asks
if there can be any hope for happiness when a lesbian couple travels to Iowa to
take their vows.
•THE
GAY AGENDA Paul Rudnicks’ sad, yet
hilarious appeal for restricting marriage to that between a man and a woman by
an Ohio homemaker, who is a member of the extreme right wing religiously
conservative, Focus on the Family.
•ON
FACEBOOK Doug Wright takes on
social media by following an actual Facebook thread chronicling a discussion on
the subject of gay marriage, which starts out innocently and ends up as an all-out
assault.
•STRANGE
FRUIT Neil LaBute’s story of two
women who want to get married in the “old fashioned way,” but are frustrated by
reality.
The second act centers on:
•A
TRADITIONAL WEDDING Mo Gaffney
gives a glimpse of a long “married” lesbian couple reminiscing about their
“wedding.”
•MY
HUSBAND Paul Rudnick gives a
delightful glimpse into the machinations of an ultra liberal Jewish mother who
is desperate to find a husband for her gay son.
•LONDON
MOSQUITOES Moisés Kaufman’s
poignant story of a man who, at his husband’s funeral, tries to make sense of
the loss.
•PABLO
AND ANDRE AT THE ALTAR OF WORDS
José Rivera’s snapshot of two men who use their wedding vows to say the
things that people never really say to each other.
The
CPT production under the creative and focused eye of Craig J. George, wrings
out almost all of the humor and pathos of each of the scenes. The scenes
are melded together by creative choreography.
The
cast, which includes Molly Andrews-Hinders, Maryann Elder, Dana Hart, Stuart
Hoffman, Michael Silverstein and Beth Wood is universally excellent.
Highlight
segments are: MaryAnn Elder’s
sincere, but hysterically funny attempt to make the audience understand the
conservative view against same sex marriage. Elder also excels as the Jewish mother in her attempt to
find a husband for her Jewish son because, “what will my friend’s think if you
aren’t married?” She is equally
balanced in that playlet by Michael Silverstein as her son. Dana Hart induces high pitched sadness
in LONDON MOSQUITOES, as the husband left to grieve his husband. Beth Wood is properly hyper-hysterical
over the thought of gay life in IOWA in THIS FLIGHT TONIGHT.
The
final segment is the weakest, having a feeling of being tacked on. It doesn’t have the same writing
quality or dramatic impact as the rest of the pieces.
Capsule judgement: STANDING ON CEREMONY; THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS is a must see
production for anyone who has empathy toward the same sex marriage
movement. It should be required
seeing for conservatives who don’t understand why there is a need for a “gay
agenda.”
STANDING ON CEREMONY:
THE GAY MARRIAGE PLAYS runs though October 20. For tickets call 216-631-2727 or go on line to www.cptonline.org.
