By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
In a scene from ASATAD's "Infinite Jest", David Kleist stars as author Laurence Sterne; Andrea Hancock serves him as Nicole.
ASATAD's new musical is just a little bit naughty
By John Berger
Special to the Star-BulletinPlaywright Nancy P. Moss will be watching the audience with particular interest when her new musical comedy, "Infinite Jest," opens at Tenney Theatre tomorrow night. The story and its characters come from the risque 18th-century novels of Laurence Sterne, and some of her high school English students will be coming to see the show. Sterne's wildly successful novels were funny - but naughty, Moss said. "He was an Episcopal priest and it was considered shocking that a priest would be making sexual jokes (even though) his kind of joke is where there is nothing overtly bad. You'll hear it and something will click and you'll go, 'Oh, my.' It's subtle, not blatant. I'll be interested to see their reaction."
Parents needn't worry. In "Infinite Jest" the naughtiness amounts to a single four-letter word and some discrete physical comedy. Teens hear far more explicit language in on the radio - not to mention musicals like "Grease."
The proud playwright shared her thoughts while watching a dress rehearsal Monday. David Kleist portrays Sterne in the ASATAD production. Cecilia Fordham and Linda Ryan have supporting roles. Jim Hutchison is directing. He seems almost as happy as Moss to see the show take flight.
By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
John Hunt plays the deranged Uncle Toby, who believes he is still at war with the French.
"We did it originally several years as a staged reading at the Pacific Rim Playwriting Festival, so I've seen it as readings around a table, as a staged reading at the festival, and now this. It's really been a fascinating experience to be involved with it all the way," Hutchison said.It was during the festival that Moss decided the show would make a good musical. She made good progress writing lyrics but knew she needed a composer. Colleagues in New York gave her some leads but she met Howard Leshaw through a casual acquaintance.
"She said, 'I wrote a play and need some music.' I read it and was very impressed with it and thought it would be fun," Leshaw explained.
He's a full-time professional who plays "just about everything that a working musician does," from concerts to banquets to studio work to jingles. Comfortably attired Monday night in short and slippers, he added that he was enjoying a working vacation away from the New York winter.
"Seeing a really fine actor getting into the role has made the songs more than I imagined. Their voices go beyond what I was hearing in my head when I was writing the music.
"Watching a brilliant director like Jim taking a book and some songs and shaping it into something that is very entertaining is (also) quite an experience. I think people here be proud that someone (like Nancy) right in their midst is doing something of this caliber."
Infinite Jest
Opening night: 7:30 tomorrow.
