No matter where you live in the DFW area, you've GOT to go see this show! It is absolutely HYSTERICAL. From the very beginning, all the way until the end, I laughed more than I have in a long time. Drop Dead delivers!
I came to RTC for a comedy and BOY, did I get one! Make no mistake about it, comedic acting is hard work. I've met many people who have thought that dramatic acting is harder to do because it's more intense. But, I've found that comedy requires so much more. You have to be on-point with the physical and verbal delivery, your character has to be genuine and have real motivations, while their reasoning is irrational and uncharacteristic from a typical person's perspective. And you are strictly at the mercy of your audience and whether or not they "get it" when you deliver the punchline.
What you might need to know about this murder-mystery comedy is that it's a play within a play. We see similar scenarios in Noises Off by Michael Frayn and Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. In these types of plays, we have actors portraying characters who are actors themselves. The "actor" character he/she is interpreting is often written to be an extreme stereotyped image of a person. For instance, if you've seen Wanda Vision, Wanda is your stereotypical housewife and mom (with the exception of her superpowers.) In our show Drop Dead, every character is a stereotype- the heart throb, the "sex-symbol" wife, the idiot, the genius, the drunk and so on. When you mix these stereotypes together and add a dramatic flare-- MURDER, for example, the results are often hilarious! And this one definitely was!
I had a chance to chat with several of the actors after the show, all of whom are so friendly and down to earth. What I love about community theatre is that it is often just that-- down to earth. We get to see real people; our own friends and family members perform and do what they love! These actors are, usually already working full-time or part-time jobs in the community and then heading to rehearsal afterward or performing on stage in the evening.
I sat down for a bit with actor Bennet Frohock who helps shape precious minds as program manager at CAMP, providing opportunities for children to learn and grow through Art. He is also a musician during his free time. Frohock plays Chaz Looney, an over-excited young actor who takes several opportunities to make-out with his actress girlfriend, Candy Apples (played by the adorable Samantha Portukus.) Chaz is less-than-stellar when it comes to the art of acting (opposite of Frohock, himself,) but loves what he does (exactly like Frohock, himself.) Hard-work is no stranger to Frohock. As a college student at UNT, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Theatre and Psychology. When I asked him how on Earth he was able to accomplish all of that, he added that he had to take big class loads. As someone who holds a Theatre degree, myself, I can vouch for how much time, effort and lack of sleep it must've taken for him to accomplish this. Frohock and I also have something in common-- Stillwater, OK is our old stomping grounds! And, like a true Oklahoman, he is genuinely gracious and personable. On stage, his comedic skills really stood out to me. The thoughtfulness of his line delivery and precise physical comedy hit the mark, every single time. When I asked him what role he's dying to play next, he said that Rocky in Rocky Horror Picture Show would be among his top choices.
Another great artist who took some time to chat with me is LD Walker. Walker plays the stage manager for the play within the play. His character expresses his strict allegiance to the director (Victor Le Pewe, played by the very talented Audie Preston) at every turn. Walker brings forth the no-nonsense personality trait of the stage manager, and the playfulness of his character's infatuation with the superior director without a hitch. What surprised me most about Walker is that, at such a young age, he has the acting ability of someone who's studying, if not graduated from the college level as a Theatre major. He hails from the South Dallas area, Oakcliff and has been a semi-pro actor straight out of high school. He gave respectful credit to his high school theatre teacher and responded to each of my questions with, "Yes, Ma'am." Somebody raised him right, for sure! He lacks no stage experience, either. He's performed in productions such as The Three Musketeers, Beauty and the Beast and The Wiz. What's Walker's dream role? Donkey, from Shrek! And, I can say enthusiastically, he'd be perfect for that!
It just doesn't get more fun than this! The cozy atmosphere of Richardson Theatre Centre, the spoiling of the patrons with sweets, wine, soda, candy or popcorn, the joyful faces on everyone's face all make this one of the best places to just "be." What a terrific evening!
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