|
Regional Reviews: New Jersey The Fabulous Lipitones Have a New Recruit
The Fabulous Lipitones are a veteran amateur a cappella quartet made up of four men well into middle age from the white bread Midwestern farming town of London, Ohio, and they are facing a major crisis. Andy Lipinski, their lead singer and costume designer, has succumbed to a sudden heart attack while competing at the regional championships. Yet Andy "held that last B flat until the end of the final note," and the group won the regional event, and now the surviving Lipitones have to find a replacement for Andy so they can compete in the national championships in Reno. The only available candidate for the role is Bob, who is recommended to them by their friend who employs the younger man as a mechanic in his garage. Sight unseen, "Bob" arrives to meet the Lipitones and all hell breaks loose. For Bob is a turbaned Indian Sikh. (For anyone who may be unaware, the wearing of a turban is a religious requirement for Sikhs.) Actually, it is but one member of the Lipitones, Phil Rizzardi, whose ignorant bigotry provides much of the comedy and conflict ("'Bob' is the name on your birth certificate?" "No. The name I was born with is Baba Mati Singh ... Trust me, in these times, Bob is better for business."). Authors John Markus and Mark St. Germain, adopting the formula laid down by Norman Lear, encourage the viewer to laugh at the idiocies of the bigot. Phil is this comedy's Archie Bunker ("... check the dude out. He looks like an escapee from the Kama Sutra"). There is never any doubt, but that all of this is leading to a place of understanding, friendship, respect, and harmonies. Yet, in this day and age of heightened, often politically manipulative outrage, it is difficult to avoid offending someone. There is much more to this comedy, as the surviving Lipitones, their situations, and conflicts are delineated in humorous and engrossing fashion. Phil, a bachelor who runs a tanning salon in the gym which he owns, and drives 50 miles to Dayton to try to pick up women, is accurately portrayed by Donald Corren as a bully and a blowhard. Corren and the creative team will increase the entertainment quotient when they find the key to making Phil (not his bigotry!) more ridiculously amusing and less despicable. Jim Walton brings his bright and engaging stage presence to the role of Howard Dunphy, a Purina processing plant executive whose devotion to his ailing wife is not understood by his fellow Lipitones. Wally Dunn is amusingly befuddled as Wally Smith, a dorky pharmacist who is finally finding a social life beyond taking care of mom. Rohan Kymal is an engaging and sensitive Baba Mati Singh. There is a plot development involving the new Lipitone and his legal status that raises serious and contentious issues which are not fully explored, and, as yet, are beyond the shape and reach of this comedy with music. It certainly provides food for thought. Director Michael Mastro displays a deft touch in keeping matters lively and amusing while allowing the author's message of tolerance and understanding to emerge implicitly. R. Michael Miller's detailed basement recreation room set easily accommodates a couple of additional locations. All four actors expertly blend their voices together to produce delightful harmonies which caress our ears and add significantly to the pleasures of The Fabulous Lipitones. The Fabulous Lipitones continues performances ((Evenings: Tuesday - Saturday 8 pm/ Sundays 7 pm - except 12/14 ; Matinees: Thursday, Saturday & Sunday 2 pm through December 14, 2014, at the George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, N.J. 08901; Box Office: 732-246-7717; Online: www.GSPonline.org. The Fabulous Lipitones by John Markus and Mark St. Germain/Original Songs by Randy Courts (music) and Mark St. Germain (lyrics); directed by Michael Mastro Cast |
