Laughing It Up Behind Bars with “Delval Divas”
By Skip Sheffield
The good news is that the Women’s Theatre Project has moved
to Boca Raton .
The inaugural production, “Delval Divas,” continues through Nov. 15 in the
Willow Theatre of Sugar Sand Park.
This bodes well for the theatrical community and actresses
in particular. It also enables audiences to experience plays they will see
nowhere else.
The not-so-good news is that “Delval Divas,” by Barbara
Pease Weber is not a particularly strong play. However, the performances are funny
and spirited, by six of some of South Florida ’s
best actresses.
The setting is Delaware Valley Federal, a minimum-security
prison for white-collar criminals.
Stella (Jessica K. Peterson), Linda (Karen Stephenson,
Rosemary (Sally Bondi) and Beth (Jacqueline Laggy) have cooked books, skimmed
funds, done Ponzi schemes and other such economic crimes. They have used their
inherent intelligence and talent to create a pretty sweet setup that is more
like a high-end hotel than prison cell.
The ladies are attended to by Lucille (Lela Elam), a young guard
who is their liaison to the outside and the good life such as manicures,
pedicures, gourmet food and clothes. In turn the women have encouraged Lucille
to further her education and shoot for the job of warden, which is conveniently
becoming available.
Beth is released on parole, and in her place comes Sharon
(Lisa Kertin Braun), a woman accused of the rather serious crime of murdering
her husband.
This is a comedy- a situation comedy if you will- and Sharon ’s situation
involves extenuating circumstances that led law enforcement officials to
believe her to be a cold-blooded killer.
These extenuating circumstances involve certain unseen male
characters against whom the women rally, giving the comedy a distinct feminist
spin.
Jessica K. Peterson, Karen Stephens, Sally Bondi, Jaqueline
Laggy and Lela Elam are all seasoned professionals, along with director Genie Croft. Lisa Kerstin Braun is a relative newcomer is who shows great promise with her demanding role of Sharon . All the women know
how to mine the most comedy out of even the thinnest material. This is not
designed to be a serious expose of abuses of privilege in country club prisons,
but a light-hearted farce designed to spoof the system.
Tickets are $25. Shows are 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 2
p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call 561-347-3948 or visit www.womenstheatreproject.com.
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