www.maestrotimothy.com
| News Briefs | News Archive
| Greetings! |
Denotes
Timothy D. Turner’s involvement
Wow!
Family comedy explores spiritual side
Daytona
News Journal
By RICK de
YAMPERT
Entertainment Writer
Last update: January 20, 2006
DAYTONA
BEACH -- When Pauline Rodick first read the play "Greetings," she
knew she had to act in the comedy by Tom Dudzick. "I loved the theme, and
I tend to lean toward the concept of reincarnation anyway," says the
Ormond Beach resident and native of Oldham, England.
With
a number of community theater credits in her homeland as well as Canada and the
United States, Rodick got her chance to act in "Greetings" when the
Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach staged the play. Now Rodick, who was
certified in drama, piano and voice by the London College of Music, is
directing her first full-length play -- the Daytona Playhouse production of
"Greetings." The Playhouse opens its production today.
Dudzick's
comedy revolves around the Gorski family: Andy (portrayed by John Lucas), his
sweet Catholic mother, Emily (Sandy Zimbler), his dour Catholic father, Phil
(J. Walker Fischer), and Andy's severely mentally handicapped younger brother, Mickey (Timothy Turner).
Tensions
rise on Christmas Eve when Andy brings his Jewish atheist fiancee, Randi Stein
(Carol Cole), to meet his family. The friction escalates until Mickey, whose
entire vocabulary has consisted of "Oh boy" and "Wow,"
suddenly blurts out "Greetings." Contemplating this miracle, writes
Dudzick on his Web site, "propels the family into a wild exploration of
love, religion, personal truth and the nature of earthly reality."
"Certainly
this play is a comedy, but it is so much more than that," Rodick says.
"It has a spiritual quotient that cannot be ignored. When I acted in this
play I felt renewed after every performance."
While
the play is a comedy, Rodick believes the play is not insensitive to the lives
and concerns of the mentally handicapped.
"This
play is written so sensitively and so well that I have no concerns that anyone
might be offended," she says. "It offers the concept that there is
more to the mentally retarded than we suspect. How could anyone be upset by
that? I also think that all the actors are doing such a great job that it will
only make everyone feel good."
rick.deyampert@news-jrnl.com
IF
YOU GO
WHAT: "Greetings."
WHEN: 8 p.m. today and Saturday, plus 2 p.m. Sunday.
Additional play dates -- 8 p.m. Thursday and Jan. 27-28, plus 2 p.m. Jan. 29.
WHERE: Daytona Playhouse, 100 Jessamine Blvd., Daytona
Beach.
TICKETS: $12, children 16 and younger $10.
INFORMATION:
(386) 255-2431.
© 2005 News-Journal Corporation.
® www.news-journalonline.com.