On most fields of play, particularly in the game of love, the maxim “nothing ventured, nothing gained” becomes the rallying call of someone about to take a giant leap rather than a small step. And no one knows the view from the edge of the lovelorn precipice better than Esther Mills.
The place is New York City, and the year, 1905. Esther, an African American seamstress, portrayed adequately by Stormi Demerson, specializes in the creation of intimate apparel. When she laments that her chance for love may have passed her by, one gets a sense that her colorful and impassioned garments mock the lack of color and passion in her life. After all, she’s 35, unmarried and suffers a deficit of romantic prospects. That is, until she begins to receive letters from George Armstrong (Bryan Pitts), an admirer she’s never laid eyes on. George works on the Panama Canal, and although he’s “half way around the world,” the scenes shared with Esther are cleverly done. Reciting his romantic missives from afar, Mr. Pitts plays his character convincingly right down to his West Indies accent. Unable to read or write, Esther relies on two of her customers, a prostitute (Lisa B. Whitfield) and a wealthy socialite, Mrs. Van Buren (Emily Scott Banks) to help her correspond with the persistent George.
When the highly societal Mrs. Van Buren mentions taking Esther to the opera and what a scandal it would cause, the audience is reminded that Esther’s station in life does not afford her the freedoms of ingress and egress enjoyed by most. Esther’s slice of the American Dream by comparison is no more than a sliver.
The voids in Esther’s life quickly become obvious. Yet she is undeterred and remains mostly grounded through the help of two supporting characters, her landlady, Mrs. Dickson (M. Denise Lee) and a Jewish cloth vendor, Mr. Marks (Dan Forsythe). Mrs. Dickson manifests a unique combination of fashionable elegance steeped in street smarts. On the other hand, Mr. Marks, an Orthodox Jew, is deeply rooted in tradition and wears only black. Both characters share more in common with Esther than is at first apparent. But the beauty of this story lies in its effortless demonstration of vastly different lives sharing a common trajectory. Mr. Forsythe hits the target dead-on with his interpretation of Mr. Marks. In one memorable scene, he cautions Esther that Rabbinical Law prohibits him from touching a female other than his wife or a family member. Yet, when he shows Esther a bolt of fine cloth, they share a visually striking and emotionally connecting moment when they both feel and caress the richness of the fabric together. They never touch, but most assuredly, they feel.
The relationship between George and Esther is born purely out of pen and paper and their affection quickly grows into a full-fledged romance. George, through his letters, offers Esther what she desires most. But is it what she needs? The sum of all these moving parts is the machinery that ultimately drives Esther into the arms of George. Will he become her dream or her peril? For the price of admission you can find out. This is a show worth seeing.
Intimate Apparel runs through June 15th. Visit WaterTowerTheatre.org or call 972.450.6232 for more details.
A Special Note …
Last week I reviewed Seussical the Musical presented by Teatro delle Muse. If you missed this show, you missed quite a lot. But it’s the story behind the show that I’d like to share with you now, dear readers.
A bright, beautiful and talented 15-year-old was cast in one of the lead roles of that production and also selected to choreograph the show. Ms. Brittany Stene is the quintessential “triple threat,” a term used by directors to describe one equally accomplished in singing, dancing and acting. A rarity, usually found in only the most dedicated of individuals. There is little doubt in anyone’s mind that one day this young woman will reach such extraordinary heights, that the stars in the skies will be rivaled.
Two weeks into rehearsal Ms. Stene was diagnosed with osteo-sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. Every effort was made by the production to accommodate her dream of being on stage. However, the chemotherapy she had to endure was not so accommodating. Opening night, Ms. Stene was in the hospital, very ill.
Hours before the last show, she was released from the hospital and determined as ever to see her castmates, which included her little sister, perform. She arrived at the theatre by wheel chair, too weak to walk. When the show was over, and the actors made their curtain call, Ms. Stene was lifted onto the stage by her father, wheelchair and all, to a standing ovation.
At that moment, every single person in the theatre was lifted up as well.
The North Dallas Gazette wishes all the best to Brittany and her family.
Rick A. Elina is a playwright based in Plano, Texas and is the Theatre Critic for the North Dallas Gazette.
