The first person to be thanked is Ken Kaissar, the director. The action was non-stop through all six scenes; he even had the audience buzzing with curiosity during the intermission. The suspense had us on the edge of our seats and some of the action caused us to jump out of those same seats.
Too often the sound crew gets over-looked in the theatre. Sound designer Lorraine Rhoden gave us footsteps, heartbeats, gunshots, offstage voices, and other weird sounds that added to the tension. Daniel Thobias designed a great set and Kimberly Jones gave us costumes that helped to define characters.
As in most murder/mysteries, lighting was very important and Ethan Vail knew just when to black out the stage or create a mood. Lighting is one thing that demands perfection. Mistakes in other areas can usually be covered, but if lights come on at the wrong time it can be disastrous.
The cast was full of experienced actors and it paid off. As Jan, the young housewife on the edge of a breakdown, Olivia Bosek was perfectly vulnerable. This actress has moved beyond the virginal ingénue of past plays.
Nicholas Wilder played her husband Greg. Nicholas can be remembered from last season in vastly different roles. Going from the roommate in drag in Love, Sex and the I.R.S. to this more dramatic roll shows what Nicholas is capable of doing.
There is something about Cara Maltz’s smile that seems evil making her perfect for the role of Greg’s sister Laura. Cara was probably the main subject of conversation during intermission. She did a great job in a very taxing part.
George, the friendly neighbor, was brilliantly played by Frank Franconeri. Frank is a very talented character actor and the part of George gave him room to show what he can do. A show with this much drama/ suspense needs comedy relief and fortunately we had Frank. His timing on stage is excellent.
I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT is a show that could be a complete disaster. It depends on the audience being completely engrossed in the action on stage. Noticeable mistakes, even hesitation with lines, can break the spell. If there were any miscues, the cast and crew covered skillfully.
The best compliment that I can pay this group is that I was scared. During a performance, I usually check to see audience reaction, what lights are on, costume details, etc. This did not happen last night; I did not want to miss a thing on stage. Great job everyone.
I'LL BE BACK BEFORE MIDNIGHT will be in the Cabaret at Millbrook until July the 29th and will be followed by the popular The Fantasticks. The 39 Steps starts July 26th on the Main Stage.
Go to their website or call 570-748-8088 for tickets and times.
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