DTW’s Plaza Suite Has Humor and Heart
by Audrey Liebross
Desert Theatreworks’ (DTW’s) Plaza Suite is a winner. The late Neil Simon’s script gives plenty of opportunity for laughs. The imaginative production also adds to the humor and pathos, through brilliant direction, great movement, and fabulous acting by its A-list cast.
Plaza Suite premiered on Broadway in February 1968, before the horrible events of that year. I suspect that comedy in general gave many Americans respite from the depressing nightly news, including the troubles in Vietnam, the King and Kennedy assassinations, the violence outside the Chicago Democratic convention, upheavals caused by the push for racial and gender equality, and other matters that I’ve probably forgotten. Plaza Suite surely provided such respite.
Plaza Suite is more traditional in its approach to marriage and family than, say The Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family, which debuted in 1970 and 1971, respectively. Simon’s mid-century humor still entertains today, albeit in somewhat cringier form than those two sitcoms. Yet, in my opinion, Plaza Suite is no more outdated than the out-there Hair, which opened on Broadway only two months after Plaza Suite.
The show consists of three pieces that take place in the same room in New York’s Plaza Hotel. The first, which could stand on its own as a one-act dramady, is titled “Visitor from Mamaroneck.” It centers around a wealthy, white Long Island married couple whom the wife booked into the Plaza while their house is being painted. She wants to take the coincidence that it is their wedding anniversary as the opportunity to celebrate it in the same Plaza room that they stayed in on their honeymoon. Her husband, in contrast only wants to work on an urgent piece of analysis for his business. They can’t even agree on whether their actual anniversary falls on that day, on which room they stayed in on their honeymoon, or on how long they’ve been married. They are a toxic, snooty couple steeped in privilege — coincidentally, the wife’s name is Karen — whose marriage is in deep trouble. There are laughs, but this playlet is not a cheery romp.
The second playlet, “Visitor from Hollywood,” is much lighter but also quite racy. Two high school sweethearts now in their late 30’s – a hotshot Hollywood producer and a married New Jersey homemaker – get together when the man is visiting New York. He wants to re-kindle the romance, but his former girlfried wants to get home without cheating on her husband … or so she says.
The last scene, the hilariously farcical vignette, “Visitor from Forrest Hills,” is, in my opinion, the most timeless. An apparently lower middle class couple is dressed for their daughter’s wedding, ready to go down to the festivities, but there is one complication: The bride, their 22-year-old daughter, is crying her eyes out in the bathroom, and refuses to come out for her own wedding.
The acting in DTW’s production is superb. Michael Pacas and Yo Younger knock their roles out of the ballpark, which in those days, in New York, would have been the old Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium, then home of the Mets. The energy they project is extraordinary; these two have great chemistry, even in the scene where the producer is getting VERY handsy with his married ex-girlfriend. I’m not sure that most performers could have convincingly pulled off that hot, hot scene. And their ability to act with their faces is fabulous. In one scene, Ms. Younger sheds a prolific amount of real tears, which, of course, is very difficult to do onstage. Kudos also to director Lance Phillips, DTW’s artistic director, who moves the scenes along at a fast pace and whose scene choreography is, as always, brilliant. The two other members of the cast, Andrew Abril, as the waiter, bellhop, and groom, and Angela Landis, as the secretary and the reluctant bride, only have small roles, but they, too, perform them admirably.
My favorite scene is definitely the last one — total, sublime lunacy, with Michael Pacas channeling Archie Bunker. And thanks, Lance, for leaving out smoking, which was, of course, a common custom in 1968. I also enjoyed the videos between the scenes, which set up the storylines, and the terrific set. I don’t know if the suite resembles a real one in the Plaza, but it is certainly a fancy-schmancy room, as one would expect in such an expensive hotel. And the dial, corded phone is the perfect throwback.
The costuming is also spot on — two-piece, classy outfits for the wealthy and middle-class women, and an overdone, flowing gown for the working class mother of the bride. The dress with the squares in the second scene evoked a Mondrian painting, a style common in the late 1960’s. Paging Yves Saint-Laurent! I also enjoyed the costume the assistant stage manager, Tess Phillips, who was in charge of scene changes, wore — that of an old-fashioned bellhop. Make sure to watch for her before the show and between the acts.
The show was not perfect on opening night. There were a few problems with sound and lighting. Also, in my opinion, there was one acting flaw: In the first scene, the New York accents came through more as Bostonian accents at some points and disappeared completely at others. However, both Mr. Pacas and Ms. Younger sounded like a perfect Archie and Edith in the last scene.
The positives overwhelmingly outweigh the minor problems in this terrific production. Go home after your evening or afternoon of laughs and look up the 1960’s cultural references that you missed, such as the reference to the then-popular weight loss product, Metrecal. But do not find yourself longing for the “good old” days of 1968, such as getting soused and thinking you’re okay to drive, yelling at your spouse (or getting yelled at), or freaking out about the off-stage occurrences in the news that year. 1968 looks a great deal better in the rearview mirror, especially when seen through the lens of these talented actors and director.
The creative team consists of Lance Phillips (Director/Artistic Director and set designer), Ron Phillips (CEO/Producer), Pedro G. Leos (Stage Manager and props), Tess Phillips (Assistant Stage Manager, hair, and makeup), Nick Wass (lighting, sound, and projections), and Paula Bailey (costumes).
Plaza Suite will run through Sunday, February 25, 2024, on Wednesdays (except February 7th), Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Check the ticket purchase information at www.dtworks.org for prices or call (760) 980-1455. All performances take place at the Indio Performing Arts Center, 45175 Fargo Street, Indio, CA 92201. In partnership with C4 Communication, DTW will have ASL Interpreters at the Saturday, February 24th performance.
: The rest of the 2023-24 season consists of:
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (March 1-24, 2024) For six years, BEAUTIFUL, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Carole King musical, thrilled Broadway audiences with the inspiring true story of Carol King’s remarkable journey from teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Featuring over two dozen pop classics, including “You’ve Got a Friend,” “One Fine Day,” “Up on the Roof,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” and Natural Woman,” this international phenomenon is filled with the songs you remember.
Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird (April 12-28, 2024) Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, the play tells the well-known story.