Cheatin’ Reviews

Cheatin´´ is lowbrow, but high in laughs
by Paul Wozniak

The Lansing Civic Players Guild want you to know it is revamping its image. Left with the basement of its costume shop, the Players have cleaned and reformed the space into a cozy black-box setting, albeit not one with tiered seating. Armed with the British subway logo and the fact it has been around for over 80 years, it is a streamlined version of its former self.

Its latest production, “Cheatin´’’ by Del Shores, comfortably fits within the stylistic niche of any of its past seasons with one major exception: the relative blatancy of sex and profanity. On a movie scale, “Cheatin’" would fit comfortably in a PG-13, but it is still a sex farce set in Texas with plenty of “aw, shit” to go around.

What separates this production from past LCP productions is the fact that it is genuinely funny. There is palpable romantic chemistry between the characters and the script includes some sizzling one-liners, which the actors revel in saying instead of just remembering to recite. The production values are as minimal as ever and the humor is certainly lowbrow, but “Cheatin’” undeniably proves that there is still life in the Lansing Civic Players.

One positive step made by director Tony Sump is the casting of several fresh faces to the LCP stage (at least within the last half-decade). The first is Leo Sell as Sid Cranford, the local bar owner and the play’s narrator. Sell is a better singer than he is an actor, but he grows into his role in the second half as the rest of the production begins to unravel.

His waitress and town gossip Maybelline Cartwright is played by Tippy Canal in his debut performance. Canal’s characterization of Cartwright is refreshing in its lack of camp. It is easy to see the man beneath the mumu and makeup, but Canal maintains the illusion by giving the character the dignity she deserves.

As the town’s simple-minded mailman, Bo Bob Jasper, Paul Levandowski similarly plays straight instead of mockingly, making the eventual romance between Bo Bob and Maybelline even sweeter.
The central love entanglement involves Clarence Hopkins (Bob Purosky), Sara Lee Turnover (Kat Cooper), Ovella Parsons-Wilks (Sandy VanLancker), and Teddy Joe Wilks (Tim Cody). In a sentence, each is involved with the right people and wrong people for the right reasons before they end up with the right people for the right reasons.

Per Shores’ script, in small-town Texas sex really is a hobby.

Purosky, Cooper, VanLancker and Cody are excellent in their respective roles making the love, hate and pain seem real despite the simple intentions of the script.

Credit is also due to Sump, who cast the actors appropriately as well as steering them away from ever playing the joke.

The only real weak moments come in the second act, which on Saturday simply did not feel as well-rehearsed. Dialogue temporarily turned into improvisation and some actors struggled to push through scenes. Hopefully the second weekend will see further polishing with a reduced running time.

“Cheatin’” brings LCP one step closer to turning into straight bawdy dinner theater, but even without a meal, “Cheatin’” is delightful as a simple, sinful dessert.

Too bad -- if you missed CHEATIN' (by Del Shores) at LCP Underground;

 it's OVER -- and of the four shows I've seen this weekend, (whew!) it was

 definitely the most FUN! Lots of laughs, and definitely lived up to it's

 "sordid" press. (This is not your grandma's LCP!) The set was a delightfully

 tacky-bar-beauty shop (thanks to director/designer Tony Sump) Leo Sell

 was a treat as "Sid" (kind of the "Opal" of this show, explaining it all to the

 audience in an endearing, folksy way) a new face I don't think I've seen

 before on stage -- and he plays the keyboard to boot! Paul Levandowski and

 "Tippy Canal" (Rick Wendorf) made the most outlandish yet endearing

 couple -- Bob Purosky, Kat Cooper, Sandy VanLacker and Tim Cody were

 all wonderful in their assorted enthusiastically trashy roles. This cast kept

 the pace rolling and our eyes rolling, too. Kudos -- bunches of fun. Sorry I

 couldn't see it sooner and spread the word.  J

I’m riding a high from the show and know I won’t fall asleep if I go to bed.  I was a little afraid that I’d feel wistful (watching the show) because I wasn’t able to do it but I’m certain now that everything played out the way it was supposed to and that every role was filled and played to perfection.  I can’t think of one single criticism (and I’m the king of criticism).

Congratulations, all!  Keep it up and have fun.

I had a blast and thank you all for a great evening!  You may see me again as Ross needs to see this show too.  –John Roche