Theater Review
The Observer - May 7, 2003
Whose Wives Are They,
Anyway?
by Bill Cook
Local Raconteur

t's another hit at the Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach and you still have time to see it. Whose Wives Are They Anyway? will be playing through Sunday, May 11 and it's right up there in terms of continuous laughter and sidesplitting antics by an exceptional cast. Director Dottie Hughes has assembled an excellent group of talented actors for this wild and crazy farce by Michael Parker.

The story begins as two golfing buddies decide to go away for a week-end without their wives to the Oakfield Golf and Country Club in New England. John Baker, played by Michael Shea, and David McGachen, played by Bill Roehrborn, are checking in at the reception desk when they find out their new boss D. L. Hutchinson, played by Kimla Dodds, who they have not yet met, is going to be at the Club, too. And she's not fond of men going away for the week-end without their wives.

Bill Roehrborn is a veteran Little Theatre actor and performs comfortably in the role of Shea's side kick in this mayhem classic. His previous LT performances are best illustrated by the number of times he appears in cast photos in the lobby of the theatre. And he has appeared in other area theatres numerous times, as well. In addition, Bill is the Technical Director at the Little Theatre and built the unique set for this production, which made it possible for as many as three scenes to go on simultaneously without conflict. One particularly fast paced sequence, where everyone is on the telephone at different locations in the hotel at the same time, illustrates the value of his technical expertise to this performance.

Mike Shea has performed before LT audiences before, but he really steps up to the plate and belts a homer in this production. The two golfers play well off each other and Kimla Dodds, who makes her debut LT performance, meticulously puts them through their paces as they try to convince her that their wives actually did come along with them for the week-end. Shea, in fact, becomes Roehrborn's wife somewhere in the middle of the first act by donning a blonde wig and heels and a dress that has every color of the rainbow and looks like it came from Grandma's closet.

George Hale steals the show as Wilson, the elderly handyman. His "lumbago" didn't prevent his timing from being right on, as one-liners come out like the period at the end of a sentence. Frequently you find yourself asking, "What is Wilson going to say about this?" And then he tells you as you double up in uncontrollable laughter again. Hale's extensive acting credentials include appearances on national TV in the Perry Como show, Mortal Combat and Nickelodeon productions of "Slime Time Live" and "Noah Knows Best." He has also done stock in St. Louis, Milwaukee and Philadelphia and has worked with many celebrities such as Vincent Price, Imogene Coco, Billy Burke and Bella Lagosi.

Allie Tippins, a native of New Smyrna Beach, plays Tina, the desk clerk. Mature beyond her years, she morphs somewhere in the middle of Act One from a busy, dedicated Country Club employee to a convincingly sexy, but tipsy, femme fatale posing as Shea's wife. Mature beyond her years, Allie attends New Smyrna Beach High School where she has appeared in The Pajama Game and Mandate for Murder and she has performed once before at the LT in The Last Night of Ballyhoo.

Eventually the real wives, played by Judi Szeiler and Bobbi Clancy, show up and find their husbands are spending the week-end with "two other women." Judi's previous roles at the LT have been in House on the Cliff and Dial M for Murder. She's another veteran actor, and has appeared at the Daytona Playhouse numerous times. Bobbi's third appearance at the LT follows her performances in Surprise! and There's a Burglar in My Bed.

Tess Siconolfi gives another winning performance here as Mrs. Carlson, the somewhat stuffy, eccentric Manager of the Country Club. But she really lets her hair down before it's over, when she sees that it's impossible to maintain any decorum when surrounded by this crazy bunch. Tess has appeared at the LT in two Opal productions as Rosie and in Don't Dress for Dinner and The 1940's Radio Hour. And she has performed at the Daytona Playhouse, The Limelight Theater in St. Augustine and at the Sands Theatre in DeLand.

Director, Dottie Hughes, is also the President of the Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach. An experienced actor and director, her extensive acting career places her in the center of activities at the LT. Dottie is quick to give credit to her excellent cast and crew. But Dottie's skill at putting things together and making the whole better than the parts comes through loud and clear for this performance.

Crew for Whose Wives Are They Anyway? include veteran Stage Manager, Hal Linn; Set Decorator, Ann Knadle; Properties, Camille Dickinson; Costumes, Rose Dingas; Lights/Sound, Scott Hazard; Make-up/Hair, Karin Jenkins; Publicity, Dottie Hughes & Taffy Abbaticcio; Posters, Susan Bradley; Programs, Dottie Hughes, Nancy Linn & Susan Bradley; Photographer, Allison Wigley & Kimla Dodds.

Four more performances await you May 8 through May 11. Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office this week, Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and two hours before performances. Call the Little Theatre at 386-423-1246.

Copyright © 2003 the Little Theatre of New Smyrna Beach, Inc.