The characters are more over-the-top and boisterous than the jokes in Actors Studio of Hope’s latest comedy playing this weekend.
But producer and director Naomi Fleetwood-Pyle, known for bringing nearly slapstick-style humor to the local stage, mentioned that the laughs in “Skin Deep” are more than superficial.
“This is simply a more subtle, softer romantic comedy,” Fleetwood-Pyle said. “And it’s a whole different setting than the Southern comedies.”
In fact, in this Samuel French production playing today, Saturday and Sunday at Willow Leaves of Hope, the setting is New York. In the show, “a large, lovable, lonely-heart,” according to the playwright’s website, “gives romance one last shot on a blind-date with sweet and awkward Joseph Spinelli (Jason Bowser).”
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The female lead, Maureen Mulligan, played by Connie Kiviniemi-Baylor, uses humor to camouflage her uneasiness about her weight and appearance.
Fleetwood-Pyle latched onto the dating theme with a slight hope that such could help attract a partly younger audience to complement an already healthy group of older ticket buyers.
“I thought it could possibly help change some of our demographic,” Fleetwood-Pyle said.
The director mentioned that one of the biggest challenges for this presentation was nailing the New York accents and the wild emotion of characters such as Sheila (Cheryl Baker), Maureen’s self-absorbed sister who has her cosmetic surgeon on retainer.
“Are my lips on straight?” Sheila asks Maureen at one point.
“Yeah, but your head’s on crooked,” snaps Maureen.
“Cheryl steals much of the show,” Fleetwood-Pyle said, adding that Baker’s intense and emotional portrayal could surprise some who know the actress in real life as rather refined.
“When I first read through a play, I envision people for various parts,” the director said. “And I knew when I read this that Cheryl could be really over the top.”
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What: "Skin Deep," a warm-hearted comedy presented by Actors Studio of Hope.
When: 7 p.m. today and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Where: Willow Leaves of Hope, 326 Jackson St. in Hope.
Tickets: $26 per person, including salad, dinner and dessert.
Information and reservations: 812-546-0640.
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