45 Seconds From Broadway
By J.D. Reichelderfer
Apr 14, 2006, 19:34
Producer Hillary Willhite and The Temecula Valley Players present the 2001 Neil Simon comedy 45 Seconds From Broadway. Opening at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater April 14th. Presented through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
The inspiration for 45 Seconds From Broadway came to Neil Simon as he peered through the windows of the Hotel Edison’s famous Café Edison coffee shop, a.k.a. the Polish Tea Room where he often found sustenance and small talk. It is a humble but honest place, with food more hearty than fancy, and prices appealing to mere mortals and theatrical luminaries alike.
In 45 Seconds the warm couple who run the Polish Tea Room reserves a section for celebrity habitués, although these are nowadays outnumbered by the varieties of soup. As in any restaurant, the customers (and perhaps the employees) come and go. They do here, as well, and are all overseen by Bernie the proprietor whose kindness extends to free meals and jobs for budding playwrights and actresses. Zelda his wife is a feisty old broad who really runs the business from the kitchen to the cash register. They are played by real life couple Joseph and Elaine Viveros. Among the folks that populate the restaurant’s tables: In-your-face comedy star Mickey Fox the central character in this one liner romp and his brother Harry (Don Vecchione and Billy Clebeck), Broadway star Bessie James (Helena S. Moreland), aspiring African playwright Solomon Mantutu (John Van Doren), the British producer Andrew Duncan (Phillip Porter), and aspiring actress Megan Woods (Larissa Baranek). Rounding out the cast are suburban theater mavens Arleen and Cindy (Hillary Willhite, Diane Thrasher) two of the most annoying women you can imagine. Rayleen, (Corinne Williams) an upscale Manhattan grand dame who lives in her own bizarre little world, and her long suffering husband, Charles W. Browning III (Arthur Conn) a nearly mute foil for his loquacious Madame.
45 Seconds Form Broadway Director J.D. Reichelderfer, a recent transplant to the area and now an Aguanga rancher is an old acquaintance of the works of Mr. Simon. J.D. loves the textures, the settings and overlays of interesting characters Simon weaves into his plays. “Most Doc Simon plays that I have read, directed or even acted in are like an old friend”. He makes me feel welcome and at home while he pulls me into the story. His plays always seem to end with an unexpected twist that either leaves you rolling in the aisles or sadly sentimental. Sometimes they are little of both. “I always walk our of a Simon show feeling good with a smile on my face” says J.D.
45 Seconds From Broadway
Old Town Temecula Community Theater
Fri & Sat-8:00pm, April 14,15,21,22,28,29
Sat & Sun-2:00pm, April 15,22,23,29,30
All tickets $15. For tickets call 1-866-653-8696 or click here.
Visit www.temeculavalleyplayers.com or the box office at 42051 Main Street, Old Town Temecula
NOTE: for more information about 45 Seconds contact jd@hotadz.net
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