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All In The Timing

Six one-act comedies by David Ives

Directed by Peter Hughes.

Written by David Ives, “All in the Timing” is a collection of six fast-paced one-act comedies. One reviewer dubbed the show “theatre that aerobicizes the brain and tickles the heart.” In one vignette the audience listens in on a lesson for a “wild comic language” called “Unamunda.” In another we find out what it’s like to be caught in a “Philadelphia,” a state only slightly more desirable than a “Los Angeles.” In still another, Trotsky tries to come to terms with his own untimely demise while his wife cracks bad jokes. When it comes to comedy, playwright Ives has the precision of a surgeon and the incisiveness of a poet. He doesn’t mince words, that is. The result is mordant and original, with just a touch of the surreal.

The first selection is entitled Sure Thing. It is a chronicle of the possibilities that exist when two people try to have a cup of coffee together. It starts with the question "is that seat taken?" with responses starting with "yes, I'm waiting for someone" to "no, have a seat." It takes a few moments to become comfortable with the switching of scenes but it is eerily mesmerising to watch the scene unfold and recognize that you yourself have been in that exact position.

The second selection is called Words, Words, Words. It is a bizarre look into the lives of three monkeys who are chosen for an experiment with the following premise: If a monkey types long enough at a typewriter, it will eventually come up with Hamlet. The lesson here is one of objectification: the monkeys are forced to do what their captors order them to do. The actors present their futile fate to the audience well.

The third selection is called The Universal Language. It involves a shyster who makes up a "language" and then offers to teach it to people (passing it off as "The Universal Language") for a rather large sum of money. He claims that it will catch on like wildfire and soon everyone will be speaking it. His first pupil is a shy, stuttering girl with little money who hopes that this new language will help her overcome her speech problems and let her meet people. The teacher speaks in this "new" language for a good part of the scene so it is kind of hard to understand him, but in the end the two of them fall in love with each other and all's well.

The fourth selection is called Philip Glass Buys A Loaf Of Bread. It involves a man and a woman at a party who are demonstrating language for the labcoat-wearing-maybe-psychologist person also on stage. Note that the entire play is presented in a setting where it appears as though the characters are some part of a psychological experiment, with the scientists conducting the experiment changing the parametres and making observations.

The fifth selection, Philadelphia, takes place in a coffee shop where the various inhabitants are stuck in different "cities" or states of mind. The person in a Los Angeles is perpetually carefree and doesn't get upset that his wife left him, or that he just lost his job. The person in a Chicago feels worse than dead, and the person in a Philadelphia gets exactly the opposite of what he asks for. The person in the Los Angeles explains everthing to the person in the Philadelphia so he finally learns to ask for the opposite of what he wants. Unfortunately, the person in the Los Angeles gets sucked into the other person's Philadelphia and he finally feels the pain of losing his job and wife.

The final selection, Variations On The Death Of Trotsky, is about Leon Trotsky. He has a mountain climber's axe smashed/buried into his skull by his communist gardener, Ramon, the day before, yet he remembers nothing. His ice pick phobia is the focus of this act, but it is the mountain climber's axe that does him in. The weird part (yes, something weirder that an ice pick fetish) is that his wife comes in the room with an encyclopedia from the 1990s (the play is set in 1940s) to inform him that the book says he is going to die today.

Cast

Kerry Beebe Milton, Woman 3, Mark

Kerry is delighted to return to the CCTC Festival. With Evergreen Players, she played “Billie” in Haiku, “Dottie/Mrs. Clackett” in Noises Off, and “Henry” in The Lion in Winter. “This production is dedicated to Pappy: playwright, action, stage manager, my grandfather and mentor-with love.”

Andy Bock Kafka, Baker, Trotsky

Andy Bock is proud to be performing with the Evergreen Players, where he was last seen as “Gary” in Noises Off. Currently a film student at CU Denver, Andy’s theatrical credits include: Taming of the Shrew, All in the Timing, York 8 Lancaster 6, and appearances in several local films and videos. Above all, he would like to thank his parents for all their love and support.

Shane Delavan Bill (Table 2), Philip Glass, Waitress

Shane Delavan is excited to debut at CCTC 2000 as well as with the Evergreen Players in this performance of All in the Timing. A Colorado native, Shane has enjoyed the opportunity to perform in Denver area productions of A Chorus Line, Godspell, Hello Dolly! and Cabaret, as well as several productions with Colorado Opera.

Din Golden Betty (Table 2), Dawn, Woman 2

Din Manobla is excited to be back at CCTC a second time. Two years ago she attended the festival in Frisco with Conifer Stagedoor Theatre as “Helen” in Pack of Lies. She recently portrayed “Rosie” in Bye, Bye Birdie with the Evergreen Players. Other favorite roles include “Kathryn” in Pippin, “Annie” in Annie Got Your Gun, and “Martha” in Arsenic and Old Lace. Din lives in Evergreen with her husband, David, and their two sons, Isaac and Wyatt.

Gary Sohrweid Bill (Table 1), Don, Ramon

Gary Sohrweid has been a member of the Evergreen Players for over 20 years. His multi-character role in Greater Tuna won him a Best Actor award at the CCTC Festival in 1998. An art teacher for 30 years, he now pursues a career in acrylic painting.

Jane Stanfield Betty (Table 1), Young Woman, Al

Jane Stanfield is trilled to represent Evergreen Players at CCTC 2000. Within the last year, she appeared as “Poppy” in Noises Off, “Nichol N. Dimes” in the Players 50th Anniversary show, Unpleasantness at the Lake House, “Louise” in the 1999 Award Winning Haiku, and “Gilmer” in Godspell at the Denver Victorian.

Kimberlee Jo Stiles Swift, Woman 1, Mrs Trotsky

Kimberlee Jo Stiles is proud to make this her first production with the Evergreen Players. She has two degrees in theatre. She also spent six years performing in numerous productions in the “Big Apple” as well as appearing on One Life to Live and Guiding Light. Her credits include Execution of Justice, Emma’s Child and Cloud Nine. Kim would like to thank her family and her coach and comrades at The Actor’s Workshop in Denver.

Production Crew