Ingredients: six doors, three international accents, six actors, three sets of wings, one bachelor, one bachelor flat in Paris. Recipe: place one American bachelor in his French flat with one sarcastic French housekeeper, stir in one clueless bachelor houseguest from America, dip into this one well-organized stay with one two-timed flight attendant fiancé, and her culinary needs. To make the recipe perfect, do not add more than one flight attendant at a time. When that happens, the recipe begins to falter and then cooks up humor and fun. BOEING BOEING, the 489th production at Old Academy Players, has attempted to perfect this complex recipe. Marc Camoletti’s BOEING BOEING is a farce, and the careful plan of the bachelor to entertain his three fiancées according to their seemingly simple flight plans, is ripe for raucous ruination.
Norm Burnosky, Chuck Mueller, Kimberly Schrack in Old Academy Players’ BOEING BOEING. (Photo credit: Jim Pifer)
BOEING BOEING is a classic comedy, set in 1960’s Paris. When a bachelor Bernard (Chuck Mueller) explains his unique plan to his old friend Robert (Norman Burnosky), and the housekeeper Berthe (Jessica McDonald) consistently offers her amusing opinion, the play takes off. Each fiancé has her own unique personality and international identity. Gloria (Marisa Block) is the freethinking American, Gretchen (Laura Seeley) the structured German, and Gabriella (Kimberly Shrack) the impassioned Italian.
This tight ensemble works hard during the show, as farces require running, quick changes, very intricate timing for entrances and exits. Humor builds in the production as actors take on more and more of the running in and out. Characters are detailed and fun. Mueller and Burnosky bring the 60’s bachelors to life with the bulk of the lines and intricacy of timing. McDonald takes on a French accent to authenticate her dry and witty character. Block is appropriately American. Seeley seethes with her Germanic ways, enticing, embracing and emasculating all at once. Shrack lights up the stage with her Italian imp. She trots, stomps, flirts, frets and adds her own special humor and life to the production.
Old Academy Players is a proud presenter of plays in the Philadelphia area, with great variety to the productions they choose. Never disappointing, their productions are both entertaining and thought provoking. Currently, Old Academy Players is offering a season ticket deal if paid by June 30. With a dignified and storied past and varied and interesting group of shows for the 2014-2015 season, their 92nd, this deal is one to be considered.
BOEING BOEING closes on May 11 and is a great opportunity to share laughter and fun with family and friends.
BOEING BOEING
by Marc Camoletti
Directed by Paul Muscarella
April 25-May 11, 2014
Old Academy Players
3540-44 Indian Queen Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19129
215-843-1109
oldacademyplayers.org
