Play Offers 'rich Slice Of Life'

A play about four female friends could be a little hard to follow, but that didn’t keep spectators from enjoying it greatly. The play by Canadian (Anishinaabe) author Jo MacDonald, was featured at the Native American New Play Festival. “Neechie-Itas” was staged Thursday at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Mitchell Hall Theatre, 100 N University Drive. It begins with the once near-bride weeping in her wedding dress, with three former bridesmaids at her door, trying to rouse her. This they finally do, by calling her cellphone, and she lets them in, first hiding the Vera Wang dress behind a sofa. The rest of the play, performed in about an hour with no intermission, has them sharing a jail cell in the aftermath of their wild weekend. Making this possible was Ben Hall’s excellent living room set, portable enough to be turned around and into a jail and office space. Here, the four friends take turns not cooperating with the police chief and his inept deputy, well played by Johnlee Lookingglass and Cody Tabor. Never sure quite how to handle their “problem,” the comic frustration of these two men, soon became almost a spoof of a police procedural drama. But it was the women’s interactions with on another, over topics ranging from old rivalries to movies, novels and television dramas, that had the most impact. Carolyn Dunn was hilarious as the jilted heroine, sounding off on her “idiot brother” for bringing a bow and arrow to the dance club, and shooting a taxi’s tire. Dunn also exploited comic conflict with Misty Red Elk as Maggie, once romantically linked to the runaway groom (who may be under investigation himself). More rich humorous gusto and comic support came from Summer Morgan as Carm, and Maya Torralba as Linda. Morgan made a wild flower pattern dress work for her, and Torralba had her funniest moment putting her bare foot on the chief’s desk while telling him about Bigfoot. It ended with all charges being dismissed against the women, leaving it up to us to judge their at times outrageous behavior, but apt to agree with them that “it’s all good.” Offering us a rich slice of life, and the distraction of pizza, when it’s finally delivered, the play directed by Tiffany Tuggle, is highly recommended. It will be staged at 8 p.m.Read more on NewsOK.com