Anton in Show Business is a play about the making of a play. It’s like 30 Rock but for theater.
The play is a satire about theater: regional theater itself, the different stereotypes of the people involved — from the outgoing gay costume designer to the rich, sexy TV actress who wants to prove her talent — and the attitudes toward theater.
When I interviewed some of the actors, they acknowledged that they weren’t sure how those not involved or interested in theater would react to the play. However, the director Dennis Delaney said the play didn’t have an in-crowd mentality.
While I thoroughly appreciated the humor, I am a part of the in-crowd. I love theater. I’ve studied some of its basic elements. I understand and know a lot more about the terms and stereotypes than the average audience member. Without this understanding, I find it hard to believe that most of the jokes will make an impact upon the, for lack of a better simple term, non-theater folk.
Jokes about stereotypes are really only funny when you understand its ridiculousness. The sheer fact that an eccentric producer is wearing pants with a wacky print and a scarf and endlessly reflects on his childhood isn’t funny unless you know the stereotype of that figure. A “theater person” will see that character and instantly recognize what the play is going for. Non-theater people probably won’t.
One thing in particular they can appreciate is the discussion about audiences, such as how they unwrap candy or leave before curtain call to get to their car one minute faster. It’s a very funny look at how the audience is involved in the theater world.
And that’s what I love about the play. It very smartly examines every aspect of the world of theater. So for those who enjoy theater, this is a play for you.
I would still highly suggest seeing the play because it’s a play that doesn’t take itself seriously, hence its satirical nature. I believe that too many people think of straight plays as a very stuffy thing full of monologues no one understands. This play is not like that. It could be a great play to spark interest in theater and one that people should come back to once they have that passion so that they can fully appreciate it.
This is one of the more memorable productions where the entire cast was perfect in their roles. It is an all-female cast of eight women who play 15 roles, which include male figures. Only three actresses — Constance Sabo, Rachel Mock and Kelli Wanamaker — play one character.
Sabo certainly stands out as the confident Holly, the rich TV actress who is now doing theater to prove to film studios that she can actually act. By looks and expression alone, Sabo makes a memorable performance. The sky-high hair, the sexy costuming, the sass and “up yours” attitude — it’s great. Mock, who has done the play in the past, is veteran Off-Broadway actress Casey, which can translate to some capacity to real life as she is the only graduate actor in the cast. Mock adds a level of depth and complexity to the show as her character often deals with very harsh realities. Her presence and impact are strong, but her role seems to be the smallest of the three main actresses. Wanamaker easily fills the shoes of the small town, southern Lisabette whose naivety is often the butt of several jokes.
Elizabeth Johnson hilariously plays Kate, the play’s producer. The never-ending hand gestures and the eccentricity make for a great comedic role that allows her to stand out, even if she did break a few times and giggle over her own lines.
Kihresha Redmond has a bigger role as T-Anne, the stage manager, but really shines as Andwyneth, the stereotypical exotic black director. Her costuming and interaction with other characters is hilarious, but it is the monologue that T-Anne later states that drives home the impact of the role of Andwyneth.
“If I don’t do plays that offend my politics, religion or color, then I’d be shit out of work,” she says.
This brings me to an aspect of the play that proves its worth beyond the comedy. This play heavily tackles the issues with stereotypes and gender. The show has an all-female cast and makes use of that. The women act like real women and make jokes about sex and sexuality and talk about personal issues that girlfriends talk about with each other.
Other than showing women in a truthful light, Anton in Show Business also shows the problems women face in any industry. Sabo’s Holly talks about having to exploit her sexuality and body for jobs. Music is used a lot in the show for transitional purposes, but Delaney added a song at the end of the play to really drive home the gender issue the play talks about. And it’s a very straightforward piece of music, not a song one will need to reflect on in order to understand its impact.
Lastly, I have to mention the play includes a critic as a character and plays at the stereotypes surrounding theater critics, such as worshipping The New York Times and using reviews as a measure of self-worth. Delaney went one step further and localized this role to Athens media — a gesture I certainly got a kick out of and loved even if it reflected a sad truth.
Rating: 5/5
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