THE NEW CENTURY • Max & Louie Productions

Paul Rudnick's 2007 play is made up of vignettes, primarily featuring monologues by its main characters who all have one thing in common -- they are, or have been affected by, someone gay.  This set-up could potentially present as a virtual pride parade of stereotypical characters.  Well, it kinda does.  In between the ready-made laughs, and there are many, you can spot moments of introspection from certain characters, but those delicate strokes are often layered over with the script's heavier-handed brush strokes of over-the-top clichés.

The festivities begin with Helene Nadler (Stellie Siteman), self-proclaimed "most loving mother of all time".  Why?  Well, she's got a lesbian daughter, actually two, except one is transgender.  Then there's her son David, also gay, with fetishes for leather and scatology <-- don't ask.  That's why I made it a link.  In a presentation she's giving to the “Parents of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, the Transgendered, the Questioning, the Curious, the Creatively Concerned and Others” group, she fiercely defends her love for her children, but you can tell that despite her claims of being the most accepting mother in the world, she's really trying to convince herself that her children are truly okay.  Stellie Siteman plays up Helene's enthusiasm, but the over-long narrative loses steam near the end.  It also gets a little bizarre as she trots out her son, fully clad in leather, to show how submissive and obedient he is.  Whaa?

Stellie Siteman (Helene Nadler).

Photo credit:John Lamb

Then we're introduced to "Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach" (Alan Knoll), and possibly the gayest man on the planet.  He's got his own show on Florida's public access channel 47 called "Too Gay".  He has no inclination to assimilate, and he claims to be able to turn people gay with a glance.  During his program, he sings the praises of good taste, laments the lost breed of pre-Stonewall era queens, and reads letters from his viewers.  Occasionally he's joined by his boy-toy, Shane (Joshua Nash Payne), who prances around showing off his hard body to the delight of Mr. Charles.  Alan Knoll completely inhabits this character, and looks like he has a lot of fun doing it, but although there was a hint of heart under all of those colorful fabrics, those insights get lost under the weight of the exaggerated characterization.  If a straight guy had written this, I'm telling you he'd be burned at the stake.

The third story contains most of the heart that there is to be had in The New Century.  Barbara Ellen (Peggy Billo) is a craftsmaster from Decatur, Illinois.  She can knit you a tuxedo cozy for your toaster, a sock puppet, or an evening gown for your cat.  After she shows us the wares from her craft booth, she eventually lets us in on the devastating loss of her son who died of AIDS, and the epiphanies she had during her trips to New York City, where her son was living.  Peggy Billo as Barbara Ellen is a standout.  She's engaging, very funny and heart-breaking in the scene that seems to have the most balance.

Joshua Nash Payne (Shane) and Alan Knoll (Mr. Charles)

Photo credit: John Lamb

All of the players wind up together at a NYC maternity ward in the fourth scene.  The reasons that bring them all there are a little vague, with the exception of Helene, whose grandchild has just been born.  We end up learning a little more about each of the characters here, but at this point, it seems more like a contrived way to have everyone meet up, not to mention a disco party ending that seems tacked-on.

It's unfortunate that a couple of these characters were written as one-dimensional stereotypes.  Now don't get me wrong -- I think poking fun at stereotypes can be fun.  There's usually always something recognizable -- parts of yourself, parts of people you know, that make it all relatable.  More often than not though, The New Century gives you nothing but assaulting one-liners that in the end, render a couple of the roles more caricature than character.

Peggy Billo (Barbara Ellen Diggs)

Photo credit: John Lamb

The stage at COCA seems a little cramped at times, but Marci Franklin's costumes were great and Mark Griggs's sound design added some nice touches.  Ted Gregory's direction seems a bit inconsistent, but again, Rudnick's script takes too long to make its point and in my opinion, doesn't underpin these stories with enough soul to rise above the over-worn stereotypes.  

Although there's plenty of humor in this presentation of short stories, don't look for too much heart.  It's playing until the 20th.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.  Maybe I'm just uber-sensitive.

THE NEW CENTURY

Written by Paul Rudnick 

Directed by Ted Gregory

COCA, 524 Trinity Avenue

through May 20 | tickets: $15 - $30

Performances Wednesday to Saturday at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm & 7:30pm

Peggy Billo (Barbara Ellen Diggs), Joshua Nash Payne (Shane),

Stellie Siteman (Helene Nadler) and Alan Knoll (Mr. Charles).

Photo credit: John Lamb

Cast:

Gary Wayne Barker* (Announcer), Peggy Billo* (Barbara Ellen Diggs), Elizabeth Graveman (Joann Milderry), Alan Knoll* (Mr. Charles), Joshua Nash Payne (Shane/David Nadler), Stellie Siteman* (Helene Nadler).

* Member Actors' Equity Association

Creative:

Sound design by Mark Griggs; scenic design by Patrick Huber; costume design by Marci Franklin; lighting design by Glenn M. Dunn; stage manager, Kim Gifford.