“Plaza Suite” is Perfect Opener For Hawthone

Players at Florissant P.A.C.

               by Pat Lindsey

If walls could talk, they would have plenty to reveal, especially if they were in Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel in New York. Neil Simon’s timeless 1971 play, “Plaza Suite” is a three-act play in which three couples give the audience a sneak peek of various aspects of marriage and the human condition. Act I is filled with drama, then the comedy builds in Act II and ends in laugh-out-loud hilarity in Act III. It is being given a new life by the Hawthorne Players at the Florissant Performing Arts Center now through April 2.

    In Act I, Karen Nash, played by Carla Brown, has planned a romantic night for herself and her husband in Suite 719 of the Plaza Hotel. It had to be Suite 719, because that was the suite they spent their wedding night in 23 or 24 years ago. Everything had to be perfect, just as it was on that first special night. She orders champagne and hors d’oeuvres from room service and takes a new pink nightie out of its box. When her husband, Sam (John Reidy), finally shows up after work, he manages to destroy Karen’s mood in a hundred different ways. Karen’s mind was filled with love, but Sam can only think about work and maintaining his youthful physique. While Karen tries her best to carry on a civil conversation with her husband, self-centered Sam becomes more and more annoying until Intermission is a welcomed relief.

     Act II introduces us to movie producer Jesse Kiplinger (Todd Micali), who has rented Suite 719 for only a couple of hours to sign contracts and, hopefully, get lucky with an afternoon delight. He called his old flame, Muriel Tate (Nancy Lubowitz) in New Jersey and invited her to come visit him at the Plaza Hotel. Muriel is now married and a mother of three and she is clearly nervous when she reunites with Jesse. She feels guilty about being in a hotel room in the middle of the afternoon with a famous movie producer, but she is so star-struck that she can’t leave. Jesse keeps refilling Muriel’s vodka stingers and the more Muriel drinks, the funnier this act becomes.

In Act III, Norma (Therese Melnyknov) and Roy (Patrick Brueggen) Hubley are staying in Suite 719 because they’ve rented the Green Room downstairs for their daughter’s wedding. Roy was happily mingling with guests when Norma called him to come back up to the suite. Mimsey (Denise Chappell-Nickels), their daughter and bride-to-be, had locked herself in the bathroom and wouldn’t come out. Roy and Norma try to reason with Mimsey until they both lose their patience and start blaming each other for failing to do a good job raising their daughter. And while they are arguing with each other, Roy gets desperate and decides to crawl out on the 7th floor ledge. He thinks he can get into the bathroom from the outside, but he is wrong. The ensuing chaos and frustrations grow and grow until two little words solve the situation. This is the funniest act and sends the audience home laughing.

All six starring actors are perfect in their roles, but the standouts are Therese Melnyknov and Patrick Brueggen for their performances of Norma and Roy Hubley. Their roles contain the most Neil Simon comedy and they play it to the hilt. Supporting actors are Tom Brown the bellhop; Jamie Linsin, the waiter and groom-to-be; and Denise Chappell-Nickels, the secretary and bride-to-be.

Kudos go to all the behind-the-scenes people: Colleen Heneghan, Director/Set Designer; Jamie Linsin, Assistant Director/Stage Manager/ Marian Holtz, Costumer; Eric Wennlund, Lighting Designer; and Brian Borgstede, Sound Design. They make this show as good as Neil Simon intended it to be.

“Plaza Suite” is a must-see show at the Florissant Performing Arts Center. There are three shows remaining–evening performances next Friday and Saturday and an April 2nd Sunday matinee. For approximately $20, it’s an entertainment bargain.

For more information, call 314-921-5678 or go to the new website at florissantmo.thundertix.com.

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