The World Premiere of A Froggy Becomes is presented by Open Fist Theatre Company. Written by Becky Wahlstrom. Directed by Pat Towne. Produced by Martha Demson.
Bumpy Diggs (Sandra Kate Burck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) needs to complete her middle school project, but she can’t find anyone to help her with the assignment. She is somehow dating her classmate Pat (Kyle Tomlin), but she also develops a crush on her classmate Allen (Tom Sys), who is dating Karen (Kyra Grace). Bumpy’s father is a violent ogre (Peter Breitmayer) who spends the day drinking and smoking. And her mother (Johanna McKay) is having an affair with a priest, Father Angelo (Michael Lanahan). Yes, a lot of drama in the life of such a young girl.
Playwright Becky Wahlstrom incorporates elements of magical realism to symbolize the perspective of a girl going through the challenging years of puberty. Some of the fantastical elements are visual, like the large puppet in the form of an ogre. Some are psychological. Fantasies that only happen in Bumpy’s head, like her idealistic love for Allen or the idea that she and her mother could pursue a happier life with Father Angelo. Maybe the blending of fantasy and reality is a survival strategy for someone like Bumpy, a girl coming from a dysfunctional family.
Navigating through puberty proves to be exciting, frightening, and painful. Wahlstrom presents a character dealing with a teenager’s rite of passage: First love, first kiss, the pressure of school assignments, and the ups and downs of romantic relationships, including the dreadful heartbreak. How can Bumpy survive this rollercoaster of emotions? Maybe Madonna’s music can help a little bit. After all, this is the 80s, colorful clothes and all.
Director Pat Towne focuses on the performances of the actors and highlights the comedic aspects of the script, creating a play with a minimalistic set design and strong performances. Sandra Kate Burck does a fantastic job, carrying most of the play on her shoulders. She has excellent comedic timing and delivers a convincing performance throughout the play. The ogre adds much of the magical realism to the play, stressing both the comedy and the uneasiness of the story.
The play features the transition between the naiveness of childhood and the brutality of life, including intrafamily violence. Broken dreams seem to welcome Bumpy into adulthood, but also open up her eyes into the possibilities beyond the horizon, exploring adventure, growth, and new beginnings. Not bad for a story that starts with a simple seventh grade project, an ogre in underwear, a horny priest, and a self-determined teenage girl.
A Froggy Becomes
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039
• FREE parking in the ATX (Atwater Crossing) lot one block south of the theater.
Performances: March 9–April 13
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: March 15; March 22; March 29; April 5; April 12
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: March 9 (Opening Night); March 16; March 23; March 30; April 6;
April 13
• Sundays at 7 p.m.: March 10; March 17; March 24; March 31; April 7
Tickets: openfist.org
Written by Becky Wahlstrom. Directed by Pat Towne. Starring Deandra Bernardo, Peter Breitmayer, Sandra Kate Burck, Kyra Grace, Jeremy Guskin, Ana Id, Carmella Jenkins, Michael Lanahan, Johanna McKay, Bradley Sharper, Tom Sys, Kyle Tomlin. Presented by Open Fist Theatre Company, Martha Demson, artistic director. Creative team: Scenic designer Jan Munroe, costume designer Mylette Nora, lighting designer Matt Richter, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett, prop masters Bruce Dickinson and Ina Shumaker, and puppet designer Joe Seely. The production stage manager is John Dimitri, and the assistant director is CJ Merriman.
