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Judith van Praag    

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selected
articles

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  International
  Examiner


Jennifer Paz Fairytale

Etsuko Ichikawa Surprises

Chinese Aerialists

Sex in Seattle

Broadway Star Michael K. Lee

Dinh Q. Le

ReAct's Wonder of the World

Common Language: Shenzhen/ Seattle

Sullivan Collection

Au Yong Follows Own Path

Juliet S. Kono - Storms of Life

Seattle Neighbors Talk Cool Tools

Cool Tools - Love Story

Bombay Dreams

Sikh Exhibit

ReAct with: To Gillian

Ivan Dinh in the Nerd

Degenerate Art Ensemble

Celebrate Khmer NY with Rajana Society

David Ishii: Bookseller

Chinese art exhibit opens with a bang

Chocolati in Seattle

Dai Family Chinese art exhibit coming

Okada: Lessons in Art History

Detective novelist Martin Limón

Sex in Seattle

Etsuko Ichikawa

Cathay: 3 tales of China

Aki Sogabi: kiri-e

King & I on 5th Avenue

Gruenewald tells the story

Small Houses, Big Ideas

Rene Yung Multimedia

"So-Ja" Library Opening

Alan Lau's art

Gu: Mother & Cellist

Kaiki Shoku (Eclipse)

Curato: Love Now

Liu on Leadership

Sightseeing with "A"

Multiethnic ReAct

Pork Filled Players

Beth Lo's Mahjong

Asian Adoptee
Experience


Jim Diers' Neighbor Power

Bryon Au Yong at Jack Straw

dk pan: bridging dichotomy

Luly Yang Design

Alan Shen and PSSO

David Kuraoka Treasure

Darvin Vida & Overstand

Sandy Lew-Hailer
s-m-l-xl


Minimalist Louise Kikuchi

Wing Luke: Beyond Talk

Chinese Master Printers

Shinkichi Tajiri's World


from the
Netherlands
Ouders Online


blogs
Hope Filled Jars

OMA Architecture Fan in Seattle


ReAct with "The Shape of Things" by Neil Labute.

It's all about boundaries, and the distance people are willing to go for relationships, love, and for art. "The Shape of Things", mounted at the Richard Hugo House on Capitol Hill, by local theater company ReAct, under direction of David Hsieh, starts with Evelyn (Angela DiMarco) stepping over the barrier cord at an art exhibit, spray can in hand. You immediately know, this character is out to shock, ready to make a statement, and an indelible impression on the audience.

The gallery guard, Adam (David S. Hogan), a dorky English major, badly dressed and horribly groomed, is enticed to ask for the telephone number of the attractive and forward Evelyn.

Would you buy that, a schmuck being picked up by a pretty girl? Adam himself has a hard time understanding what the beautiful graduate art student sees in him. And he's not alone in that; his best pal Philip (Jeffrey Grimm, "Six Feet Under"), who is about to take the plunge, marry his sweetheart Jenny (Mona Leach, of Sex in Seattle: Episode 9) questions the whole affair. But when Evelyn and Adam kiss (DiMarco and Hogan are married in real life), "Ooh, fire!" PDA (public display of affection) abounds. Oh, yes, this is a sexy play.

However, The Shape of Things is much more than that. With brazen and manipulative Evelyn (by never-faltering DiMarco), impressionable Adam (though Hogan quit law school, I can see him in any role on "Law & Order" ) and his corruptible friends Philip and Jenny, playwright/ director Neil Labute ("In the Company of Men", "Nurse Betty" ) challenges our notions about role patterns and morale. These highly compatible actors make Labute's statements believable all the way.

David Hsieh's stage directions for both main and minor characters (Jessica Knippel, Agastya Kohli, Jane Moon, Lionel Sam and Evan Tucker double as passersby and back stage crew) in the clever, versatile set, result in a smooth choreography. His attention for detail is eagerly mirrored by all of the participating actors.

The play's theme —transformation— is carried on in David Hsieh's set design as well as the actors' wardrobe changes. The big shift in everybody's conscience —both on stage and in the auditorium— comes with Dimarco's strong deliverance of her character's graduate thesis speech. A big bang if there ever was one.

"The Shape of Things" by ReAct (the Repertory Actors Theatre, Pacific Northwest's only Multiethnic and Philanthropic Theatre Company) is performed at the Main Stage, Richard Hugo House, 1634 Eleventh Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122.

Performances through March 26. Thursdays at 7:30, Fridays at 8, Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m. $12 Adult; $9 Student, Military & Disabled; $6 Children 11 and under. For info on auditions, upcoming shows, special donor campaigns and tickets visit www.reacttheatre.org.



Previously published March 16, 2005 in the International Examiner.
© 2005 Judith van Praag, All Rights Reserved

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