The Early Education of Conrad Eppler Echo Theatre
Echo Theatre’s production of The Early Education of Conrad Eppler currently running at the Bath House Cultural Center is a show I enjoyed very much and recommended it to all my friends, but can only seem to tell you all the reasons I didn’t like it or the parts that stood out as odd. Regardless, this show is an experience that will leave you spinning long after it is over.
“Three adolescent angels make an unlicensed appearance on Earth, triggering reactions on three planes: the material planet Earth (where Conrad resides with the Sisters of Sorrow), the celestial planet Grace (where angels are cultured), and the transitional Moon (where the Joyous Mystery Sisters abide). There is a revolution in progress in the heavens, but Heaven knows that Earth is the future. Eden will no longer be just some has-been, burned-out tear-down, but rather a vision unrealized, a Garden yet-to-be. Throw the lever in reverse! There’s still time! Conrad's the key; the Apocalyptic future can be rewritten!”- (taken from Echo Theatre’s website.) Conrad Eppler is a young boy who was left on the front steps of a convent when he was just an infant. He is taken care of by some less than normal nuns. One night, three angels hear his prayer for parents, and they appear to him. One of the angels loves him and promises him parents, and the journey thus begins.
The fact that I need to write an explanation of their synopsis is indicative of the entire play. Take a friend or two to see this show- you’ll need help explaining it to each other. Playwright Isabella Russell-Ides was one of three winners of Echo Theatre’s Big Shout Out contest, and the last of the winning plays to be staged this season. If one were to close his eyes and just listen to the script, the sing-songy rhymes of the witty one liners is soothing and quite poetic. But poetry is not always meant to be understood, and this is a downfall of some of the dialogue. At no fault to the actors, I at times had no idea what was being said nor could I assimilate all the rapid fire information into the storyline fast enough to keep up. Early on, though, I realized this is a play to be enjoyed on two levels. The first way is to sit back and enjoy the ride and don’t think about it. Laugh when it’s funny, which thankfully it often is, and sit quietly during the parts you don’t understand. The other way is to get a copy of the script and read it, taking time to research on the internet or in the religion section of the library all of the references and allegories drawn from multiple belief systems so to best understand the writer’s deepest meaning. For the purpose of this review, I opted for the first way, but don’t think I won’t be asking for a copy of that script. I’m more than ready to enjoy The Early Education of Conrad Eppler on all its levels.
The Bath House Cultural Center in Dallas is a small but charming venue which seats about 50 people in the audience. The director, Pam Myers-Morgan, let those of us who were new to the Bath House know that this production required the audience and the stage to flip sides, so the audience members entered almost onto the stage before reaching our seats. Several chairs had signs on them as well that said partial view seats. Being an invited critic, I was given the best seat in the house- dead center of the third row. This is definitely a show where partial view is going to be a let- down.
Above everything else, one could assume director Pam Myers-Morgan had fun with this production. She allowed the designers of the set, costumes, lights and sound to run to the farthest reaches of their childhood imaginations and then carefully crafted them into a bright spectacle that supports the storyline in total unison. Unfortunately, the blocking at times became stagnant, usually when all the actors were on stage at the same time. A small stage fills up quickly with 10 or so people on it, so we were left to watch them stand in a semi circle and talk. Though, at other times, very inventive uses of the space proved to be the over the top entertainment we had come to expect (especially the parts that involved the scooters.) For the most part, the blocking was fast paced and matched the style of the show. One drawback that, in the end became an advantage, was the very young cast- if young only in appearance. The lead angel is herself only a high school student, and though all were good choices, their youthfulness added a “junior high play production” campiness feel to the performance.
Christopher Jenkins’ set design at first appears to be very simple, even cartoonish with large cloud like swirls and several doors and curtains for entrances scattered on the far left and right and within the seat itself. As Jaymes Gregory’s lighting design is added to the set design, though, we see that the audience’s right is the convent where Conrad lives and the left side is used for the “other worlds” the story takes us to. Gregory’s lights also differentiate between our reality and other planes and allow for some over the top entrances and exits for the various characters. Sound design by M. Graeme Bice was spot on, both in quality and in the timing of the delivery done by Board Operators Bryan Douglas and Lisa Robb.
Costumes by Ryan Matthieu Smith were, depending on your opinion of the show, either the highlight or the downfall of the production. From zebra print leggings to pink nun habits to a space cowboy- no character was untouched- and this includes the stuffed monkey Conrad carries with him wherever he goes. All costumes were well fit, and once the shock of them wore off, somehow matched the writing and the actors’ characterizations perfectly. The props, designed by Lynn Mauldin and Rebekka Koepke, were very similar to children’s toys, and once the play concludes, it is evident as to why. As the play progresses to this ending, though, the use of the props by the adult actors in total seriousness adds to the laughter of the evening.
The title character was bravely and whole heartedly embodied in that of 6th grader Jennings Humphries. He is a self confidant and fully involved actor who is also a child without being that pretentious “child actor.” At times, his line delivery was a little fast and certain lines came across as unmotivated, but this was rare. As he grows and develops his craft, he will learn that performances are not line tests- neither in getting them all out word for word nor in speed. Ellen Locy as Mother Mary Extraordinary and the High Consul was the mean nun with an interesting secret to play and then, a few scenes later, would emerge as the gracious and nearly omniscient High Consul. As a nun, she was the character I was able to relate to most easily in a believable way and is what drew me into the story of Conrad Eppler and made me care about him.
Supporting Mother Mary Extraordinary was Kateri Cale as Sister Merry Berry and LisaAnne Haram as Sister Subordinary. Nothing is funnier than women dressed in nun habits doing very un-nun like things. But, aside from the easy jokes there, these two actresses also had quiet moments with Conrad and one another that let the audience know that their world was the “our reality.” Berry was the “happy” nun, very reminiscent of the Sister Mary Patrick in the movie Sister Act. Haram also appears later as Sister Omega Omicron the Oracle, and she not only changed her costume (if only in color, not in style) and her eyelashes, she also changed her voice and her physical movements so that NO ONE would be confused as to who she was at any given time. It’s not hard for me to say that Haram was my favorite nun and she lit up the stage with every entrance.
Kylie Zeko as the angel Alethia (or is she a reincarnation of the first woman Eve?) had the difficult task of carrying much of the emotional journey of the show, and giving a lot of expose to the audience. For the most part, her performance was truthful- making use of her young age and big expressive eyes, but there were times when she did not go far enough or relax enough to convey only the character. Her inexperience in these very adult themes at times did show through, but were later forgiven as she drew us in with her honest emotions. Alethia’s angelic friends, Epiphany and Honeycomb, are played by Tatum Zeko and Wendy Blackburn respectively. They are giggly school girls who only begin to grasp the events they have set in motion. Later, when they emerge as Sisters Delta Delta, the work in unison, often speaking and moving as one. Though minor roles, their presence and performances added to the setting of the storyline.
As Aletheia’s love interest Roica, Matthew Clark is tall, handsome, and delivers his lines in earnest, though much of his purpose in the storyline itself was lost on me. Also, his eye make- up was extremely heavy and distracting.
Stealing the show was David Lugo as Luce, the chief of the Angel Police (and possibly that fallen antagonist, Lucifer.) He was the creepy, smarmy, self confidant slime ball the devil should be- and he put all of Luce in the deep booming “radio” voice and his cheesy grins to the audience. He was finally able to flex some of his comedic timing and wealth of vocal acting experience in Act 2 as he quickly shifted from accent to accent, character voice to character voice, but all the while we saw Luce hiding underneath in disguise. At his right hand was David Meglino as Lieutenant Kilowatt, the bumbling minion of Luce. Meglino had some of the best lines of the night, and though his character had some of the most off the wall reactions (physically and emotionally) to the happenings on stage, he sold every single one as believable simply because he was fully committed to it.
As Miss Demeanor and later Sister Rho Zeta, Miller Pyke seemed confidant in her purpose in the story and uncertain of what she was doing all at the same time. Her four inch heels and incessant use of an inhaler as Miss Demeanor, Conrad’s social worker, did not aid her at all, but got the formulated laughs they were intended to.
Finally, Stephanie Butler and Tamitha Curiel as the Wing Sergeants to the High Consul moved in such unison and were so well cast as identical angels, I honestly don’t know who was who- and this is as it should be.
The Early Education of Conrad Eppler might offend some of the religious fundamentalists, might annoy those who prefer a linear story told in traditional ways and be full of predictable one liners and physical comedy, but for the most part, this “deeply religious, ‘don’t mess with a good thing’ theater critic” laughed a lot at this very weird and oddly impressive show. Don’t miss this production- it’s a very rare treat for our theater community.
The Early Education of Conrad Eppler
Echo Theatre
at the Bath House Cultural Center
521 East Lawther Drive, Dallas, TX 75218
Reviewed performance on Saturday February 18, 2012.
Runs through February 25th.
Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays @ 8:00 pm and Saturday Matinee at 2pm.
Tickets for evening performances are $20 online, $25 at the door, and matinees are $15. Students and seniors are $10 for any performance. Tickets can be purchased online at www.echotheatre.org or by calling (214) 904-0500.
Directed by Pam Myers-Morgan
Assistant Directed by Reis Myers McCormick
Written by Isabella Russell-Ides
Stage Managed by Jordan Willis
Assistant Stage Managed by Alett Gray
Scenic Design by Christopher Jenkins
Lighting Design by Jaymes Gregory
Costume Design by Ryan Matthieu Smith
Props Design by Lynn Mauldin and Rebekka Koepke
Sound Design by M. Graeme Bice
Technical Director: Bryan Douglas
Production Assistant: James Stroman
Publicity: Kateri Cale
CAST
Alethia- Kylie Zeko
Epiphany- Tatum Zeko
Honeycomb- Wendy Blackburn
Conrad Eppler- Jennings Humphries
Sister Merry Berry-Kateri Cale
Sister Subordinary- LisaAnne Haram
Mother Mary Extraordinary- Ellen Locy
Luce- David Lugo
Lieutenant Kilowatt- David Meglino
High Consul- Ellen Lucy
Wing Sergeant I- Tamitha Curiel
Wing Sergeant II- Stephanie Butler
Roica- Matthew Clark
Miss Demeanor- Miller Pyke
Sister Omega Omicron, Oracle- LisaAnne Haram
Sisters Delta Delta- Tatum Zeko, Wendy Blackburn
Sister Rho Zeta- Miller Pyke
Skipper the Gospel Monkey- Tommy Myers-Morgan
