Summer Shorts’ long on laughs

By Dan Hudak
dhudak22@yahoo.com

George Schiavone
‘Donde Esta Pedro Mano?’ by Montserrat Mendez, features (l-r) Elizabeth Dimon, Erik Fabregat and Cici Fernandez.

One of the true delights of City Theatre’s “Summer Shorts” is that it’s a genuine actors’ showcase. Some thespians adapt better to the fluctuating themes and styles than others, but no one shines brighter on the Carnival Center stage than Ceci Fernandez, a legitimate young talent who’s sure to have a bright future in South Florida theatre and beyond.

Whether it’s as a blood-soaked teenager on a killing rampage in the gripping dark comedy “Ron Bobby Had Too Big a Heart,” an idealistic high school track star in “Uprising” or a love-struck telenovela heroine in “Donde Esta Pedro Mano?,” Fernandez nails each and every one of her roles with humor, humility and, when necessary, emotional force.

There are a total of 15 shorts averaging roughly 15 minutes in length; seven in Program A and eight in Program B. It’s a trying (and pricey) experience to watch both Programs in one evening, but if you’re ready for the nearly five-hour marathon (which includes dinner for an added fee) be prepared to have your emotions stirred in a number of thought-provoking ways.

Program A is more dramatic yet weaker overall: “96 Stitches” and “What I Learned From Grizzly Bears” get things off to a fluttering start, then “Ron Bobby” provides a bolt of energy before “Suspension” lulls us back to sleep. The second half is substantially better. “The Sons of Mickey” is a scathing satire on the fiercely protective Disney company, while “Uprising” (if a bit too long) has emotional poignancy and “Foul Territory” garners some great laughs from one man’s misfortunes at a baseball game.

The funnier and superior Program B starts on a high note with “Ambivalent,” starring Steve Trovillion in a laugh-out-loud performance as a man who makes a dire announcement to a room full of eager airline passengers. Better, every actor in the piece has great comic timing, and writer Joshua James does a great job of exploring all the characters in a short period of time.

Although it’s followed by the worst short in the two programs, the sluggish “Practicing,” “Pedro Mano” picks the energy up with physical humor that’ll make you laugh regardless of whether or not you’ve seen a telenovela or speak spanglish. “Angle of Attack” is a well-written take on guy talk, and “Playtime” ably chronicles the disturbing struggles between an abused southern mother and her runaway daughter.

“Flour Cloud” follows three people in the aftermath of an explosion in a bakery, but never quite hits an emotional peak. Marco Ramirez’s award-winning “I Am Not Batman” is an interesting exploration of a young man’s fantasy to escape the doldrums of his life; Bechir Sylvain pours his heart and soul into the role, making it even more powerful. The program then ends with a bang with Michael McKeever’s hilarious “Splat!,” which chronicles the Munchkins immediately after Dorothy and co. leave for the Emerald City in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Aside from Fernandez, Trovillion and Kameshia Duncan stand out as well, each ranging from comedy to drama with ease. Tom Wahl gives a hilarious turn in “Foul Territory,” Irene Adjan and Antonio Amadeo work well together in “Grizzly Bear” despite the play’s shortcomings, Erik Fabregat is hysterical in “Pedro Mano” and Elizabeth Dimon’s sixth appearance in Summer Shorts makes it hard to imagine the evening without her.

The production has moved away from the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre on the University of Miami campus (which is closed for renovations) and into the studio theatre inside the Ziff Opera House at the Carnival Center. Paintings adorn the walls of the box theatre and there is seating on all four sides of the stage, allowing for a more intimate experience. The actors also have four entry/exit points, and it’s clear that the extra space allows for creativity beyond what was possible at the smaller Ring Theatre.