A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS

A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS

“All I want is to run everything and always be right.” – K.C.

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

At: Dogtown Dance Theatre, 109 W. 15^th St., RVA 23224

Performances: February 4 – 12 2022

Ticket Prices: $24.00 General Admission. $20.00 Seniors

Info: http://www.cattheatre.com

Watching four other people play a game of monopoly could be about as exciting paint dry, After all, it is a long and sometimes slow-moving game, and not exactly the sort of thing that draws spectators. Yet this is exactly what playwright Nagle Jackson expects us to do.

Under the smart direction of Amber dePass, and with an amiable cast led by Crystal Oakley, A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS is both an amusing evening of live theater and an opportunity to use a board game that celebrates capitalism as a metaphor for the use and mis-use of corporate power.

Set on a private island whose owner and sole resident, K.C. has named her magazine ME, A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS ironically takes place on April Fool’s Day. It is a long-standing tradition for K.C. to host an annual gathering on April 1^st, the centerpiece of which is a game of Monopoly that comes with a boatload of unwritten rules. K.C. always gets the top hat. K.C. always gets Marvin Gardens, the most expensive property on the board. And K.C. always wins.

On this occasion, K.C. (Oakley) is joined by her publisher and weekend lover Bo (Aaron Willoughby), her Managing Editor Henry (Joshua Mullins) whom she plans to fire after the party, and his plus one, Erna (Kyle Billeter) who is the magazine’s food editor. At the end of Act One, just as we’re beginning to think this is going to be a long and uneventful day, the author shakes things up by tossing in a surprise visitor. Rose (Liv Meredith) found herself stranded after turning down the advances of her date; angered, he gets in his little boat and leaves her stranded on the island in the middle of a storm. Rose surprises many in the audience when she reveals she is a teacher. Her language and demeanor could have belonged to a high school or college student, but Henry soon takes note of her.

Willoughby’s Bo is a low-key and suitable foil for Oakley’s over-bearing and narcissistic K.C.

I’m not sure what to think of Henry. At times he stands up for himself with confidence, at times he gives in to pretentious free-spirited outbursts, and then there are those other, uncharacterizable moments. I personally was outraged when, during a scheduled bread in K.C.’s precise schedule for game day, Henry went outside and urinated on the rocks – only to come back inside, pick up his drink, and return to the bar without washing his hands!

Billeter’s portrayal of the quirky food critic Erna is undoubtedly the most lovable character. And of course, she raises K.C.’s hackles. No one appears to notice when, on at least two separate occasions, Erna drops her indeterminate European accent when reminiscing about the joys of tuna melts and tuna casseroles, and even lets it slip that her mother was the Queen of Velveeta. Hmm.

A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS seemed to be just what the welcoming audience needed. It was also a minor triumph for CATTheatre, which became a nomadic troupe in the  midst of a pandemic. Their first show after emerging from behind masks was performed at Atlee High School. This one found a home at Dogtown Dance Theatre in Manchester, and the next performance will head west to HatTheatre. Undaunted, the show must go on! A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS has one more weekend of performances, February 11 & 12, at Dogtown Dance Theatre. Just remember, K.C. always gets the top hat and K.C. always wins – even if it means she’s left all alone. Oh, and enter K.C.’s kitchen at your own peril. And you should probably avoid the Pump House…

Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County.

A HOTEL ON MARVIN GARDENS

Written by Nagle Jackson

Directed by Amber dePass

Cast

K.C.                Crystal Oakley

Bo                   Aaron Willoughby

Henry              Joshua Mullins

Erna                 Kyle Billeter

Rose                Liv Meredith

Design Team

Stage Manager            Nancy McMahon

Assistant Stage Manager, Costume Design, Set Dresser        Jenn Fisher

Lighting Design          Kaylin Corbin

Set Design                   Andrew Way

Ticket Information

www.cattheatre.com

Ticket prices range from $24.00 General Admission. $20.00 Seniors.

Run Time

The play runs about 1 hour 50 minutes including 1 intermission

Photo Credits: Daryll Morgan Studios

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