Review of Over the Tavern at Seven Angels

Seven Angels Theatre kicks off their 21st season with another gem by Tom Dudzick (Miracle on South Division Street). Over the Tavern will run at the Waterbury theatre October 6-30, 2011. The first of the Over the Tavern Trilogy is a semi-fictional trio of comedies based on Dudzick's early family years in Buffalo, N.Y.

On opening night I was surrounded by season ticket holders and there was a good-sized audience for the preview performance. Semina De Laurentis, Seven Angels Artistic Director and director of this show, noted that this was the first time that the cast was performing in front of "people." The only time I remembered this was when the crowd laughed at an intentionally funny line and we missed the next few lines because the actors didn't wait until the laughter had subsided. I trust that this will improve in future performances.

The play is set in 1959 and the Pazinski family has a lot going on in their cramped Buffalo apartment. The youngest of the bunch, 12-year-old Rudy, is a smart, wise-cracking kid who’s starting to question family values and the Roman Catholic Church. When Rudy goes up against the ruler-wielding Sister Clarissa and announces that instead of being confirmed he’d rather shop around for a more “fun” religion, all hell breaks loose.

Ms. De Laurentis commented, “We wanted to start with a fun play that would reflect the season. Everyone needs to come and enjoy this show with a fantastic cast.” This is indeed an impressive cast. Michael Sacco nailed the role of the patriarch Chet. He was scary, funny, and even touching as the script demanded.  Sarah Knapp as the mother of the clan gave a very nuanced performance. Noel Desiato appeared as the stern nun Sister Clarissa and will bring back many memories for anyone who attended Catholic School. The youngest members of the cast were all amazing. Twelve-year-old Carey Cannata, making his professional debut on the Seven Angels stage, was excellent in the critical role of Rudy. Ben Scanlon, also making his debut on this stage, played the teenaged Eddie to perfection. Another newcomer to Seven Angels is Tony Harkin, as the youngest and mentally challenged Georgie and I found him to be simply adorable. As the only daugher Annie, Mandy Leigh Thompson (Eleanor/Bizarbra in the LP Players production of Starmites) was sublime and definitely had the hardest hairdo to maintain.

One does not have to be Catholic to enjoy this heartwarming show, but it definitely helped to understand some of the humor if one actually remembered some of the religious references. The Set Designer Erik D. Diaz did an amazing job of capturing the feel of 1959 in a large and very detailed set. The vintage props (by Shenna Vaughn and William Bentley) and costumes (designed by Jimmy Johansmeyer) added to the authenticity.  While the Pazinski family was supposed to be Polish, the set could have been the home of a family of many nationalities. 

If you want to see Over the Tavern, you may want to choose one of these special performances…
October 8 Post Show Cast party
October 13 Beer and Pizza Night
October 14 Half Price Drink Night
October 15 Mimosa Matinee (2 p.m.)
October 21 Sweet Maria’s Night
October 22 Fascia’s Chocolate Night
October 28 Wine and Martini Night
October 30 Sundaes on Sunday (2 p.m.)

Tickets are on sale now and range from $29 to $39.50.