Each of the theaters in San Diego has its own unique character and generally draws specific opening-night audiences. Last night's opening of The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Scripps Ranch Theater shattered this illusion. The audience was a vast mix of patrons I usually see in Pt. Loma, La Jolla, East County, Chula Vista and in theaters from Ion to La Jolla Playhouse and Starlight to Diversionary and the small venues in downtown San Diego.
The draw was an excellent cast (Danny Campbell, Jill Drexler, Dana Hooley, DeNae Steele, Morgan Trant, Alex Chernow, and Jude Evans) under the able direction of director-about-town Tim Irving. Campbell, Hooley, and Drexler as Adolph and Reba Freitag and Boo Levy, the older generation, are highly different, yet with many of the same values. Reba and Boo's daughters, Lala and Sunny (Steele and Trant), represent the new generation the generation that does not want to play by the same set of rules...just about the oldest story since Cain and Abel. Thus, a combination of love and tension emerges, especially since this extended family live in the same house and are among the very few Jews in 1939 Atlanta, Georgia. During most of the 13 scenes, their Jewishness is always in the undercurrent, only occasionally rising to the surface. The final scene focuses on their heritage exclusively.
Playing the love interests of Sunny and Lala are Alex Chernow and Jude Evans as Joe Farkas, Adolf's employee, and Peachy Weil, a very charming young man. A near-perfect balance makes each of the relationships seem totally natural.
The Last Night of Ballyhoo is described as a drama, a comedy, and a comedy-drama. There is some absolutely delightful humor in the dialogue. The subject matter, however, is about a very serious time (the German occupation of much of Europe), with some serious subjects (the level of Jewishness to be practiced in a predominantly Christian society), and, of course, the romance the two young ladies experience as they approach womanhood.
The cast excel, and the production doesn't stop there. Set designer Tim Wallace created the Freitag's home while providing playing areas for both exterior environments and a train car. Sound designer Robert May adds the final touches of the reality of 1939 with his excellent selection of music and radio broadcasts of the time. Mitchell Simkovsky's lighting complements the set and helps define mini-locations within the area.
Producer Kelly Lapczynski has brought together an excellent team to aid this excellent production, which is another unqualified success for Scripps Ranch Theater. This is also the start of seeing a lot of Christmas trees on stage.
