‘Laura’ revival topped HB Playhouse’s 2004 season

Tom Titus

Oldies are not necessarily goodies when it comes to community theater

revivals, but the Huntington Beach Playhouse came up with a tasty

morsel among the handful of vintage plays it produced during the 2004

season.

“Laura” -- as in “the face in the misty light” from the song of

the same name, and one of the most enduring gems from Hollywood’s

film noir period of the 1940s -- enjoyed its second revival by the

playhouse in 20 seasons, and topped the list as the theater’s best

production of the year.

Directed by Marla Gam Hudson, this classy period piece combined a

haunting mystery plot (from Vera Caspary’s novel) with some memorable

characterizations and, for audience members unfamiliar with the

movie, a crackling whodunit, as well.

As this column noted at the time, “ ‘Laura’ -- with its haunting

title music interspersed generously throughout the show -- is a

splendid reproduction of one of Hollywood’s classic moments of long

ago.”

A comedy of more recent vintage, Neil Simon’s “Proposals,”

captures the runner-up slot in this year-end assessment. Director

James Gruessing crafted an engaging seriocomedy from Simon’s gentle

treatise set in rural Pennsylvania in the late 1950s dealing with

several tentative relationships.

Gilbert and Sullivan occupy the third position as the playhouse

revived the English composers’ most popular musical, “The Pirates of

Penzance.” The show was a colorful, tuneful exercise under the

direction of Larry Watts.

Rounding out the playhouse’s 2004 season were “The Tempest” -- the

last Shakespeare in the Park offering, ending a decade-long tradition

-- and a trio of comedies: “Over the River and Through the Woods,”

“The Desk Set,” “The Dining Room” and “Stars in Your Eyes.”

In the acting department, Reed Boyer scored highest as the

sophisticated scribe in “Laura,” while Selma Pinkard took top actress

honors for “Proposals.”

Others earning honorable mention were Brandon Ibanez for “Pirates

of Penzance,” Kim Short and Kurt Jarrard for “Stars in Your Eyes,”

David Rusiecki for “The Desk Set” and Shaun Michael McNamara for

“Over the River and Through the Woods.”

Next Thursday, the spotlight swings over to Golden West College,

which also enjoyed a productive year of theater.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.