The Masque kicks it old school with Story

By Olivia Biagi
Collegian Staff
April 18, 2007

Even before the curtain rises at the Dan Rodden Theatre, audience members will already feel as if they have traveled back in time to the late 1930s while period music plays at The Masque’s production of The Philadelphia Story. The set and costumes succeed in painting the portrait of a fashionable, upper-class home in the country near Philadelphia at the end of The Great Depression, with paintings hanging on the wall as a backdrop and a set of French doors to the left of the stage for the indoor setting.

The entire show covers only a 24-hour time period, in which Tracy Lord (Hannah Datz) is preparing for her second marriage to George Kittredge (John DiPompeo) on the eve of their wedding. However, mischievous younger sister Dinah Lord (Megan C. McGee), scandalous father Seth Lord (Mark Costello), ex-husband C.K. Dexter Haven (John O’Riordan) and the two reporters covering the wedding, Mike Conner (Sam Fran Scavuzzo) and Liz Imbrie (Pamela Woodward) all create amusing complications, culminating in a surprising ending.

The show opens with the Lord siblings Tracy, Dinah and Sandy (Christopher McBride), and their mother, Margaret Lord (Melissa Mongi), on the morning before Tracy’s wedding. Dinah busies herself by calling Tracy’s ex-husband Haven over. Sandy informs the family that two reporters from the paper Destiny are writing an article about the “Fashionable Philadelphia” and will be staying at the house while covering Tracy’s pending nuptials.

The family wants to look good in front of the reporters, and with the absence of the father, Seth Lord, from Tracy’s wedding (he is scandalously gallivanting in New York City with another woman), the socialite takes it upon herself to introduce her Uncle Willie (Doug Phelan) to the reporters as Seth, after which the real Seth shocks everyone by showing up at the house. And so begins the delightful, somewhat complicated comedy.

The Philadelphia Story was absolutely wonderful and enjoyable. The entire cast, despite having large shoes to fill (Katharine Hepburn played Tracy Lord on Broadway from 1939-1940, and again in the screenplay version), was energetic and stayed in character throughout the show. McGee was especially entertaining as Dinah Lord, bouncing all over stage, both youthful and playful, but still articulating clearly to the audience. O’Riordan passed off the slick, smart-aleck, rich kid act very well, and Scavuzzo was excellent with his dry dialogue.

Datz was impressive as the leading lady, both funny and alluring. Something in her stage presence strongly reminded me of Claire Forlani (Meet Joe Black, Mallrats). Costello, Woodward, DiPompeo, Phelan, Mongi and McBride also succeeded with their comedic timing and facial expressions. Bekim Rauseo and Allison Neff were scene stealers as the house servants. The entire cast played off each other well. Most notably, however, were Scavuzzo, Datz and O’Riordan, whose interactions were especially amusing.

The show, however, was not perfect. Sometimes the actors slightly closed off from the audience, turning their faces away while speaking. As the dialogue needed to be fast-paced, it was sometimes difficult to understand everything spoken, and there were a few lines lost.

But, these minor details did not detract from the cast’s talent and energy. The crew also deserves a lot of credit and recognition for the beautiful sets, which includes a running fountain in the second act.

All in all, the production was lively and entertaining, so don’t miss your chance to experience the “Tumultuous Thirties” with The Masque. The Philadelphia Story will run again April 19, 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. General admission is $9 and $7 for students and senior citizens. All students receive one free admission with student ID.

biagio1@lasalle.edu