Secrets, Scandals and Lutefisk
Sometimes, the best Christmas gift is just surviving the holidays. The Studio Players presents "A Nice Family Christmas" by Phil Olson, a comically relatable PHOTO reminder of what can happen when family dynamics and expectations collide.
When Carl, a struggling newspaper reporter who /has just been assigned a story to write about a typical family Christmas, travels home to spend the holidays with his dysfunctional family, secrets unravel and holiday mayhem ensues.
Veteran director Paula Keenan has enjoyed the challenge of learning the personalities of each cast member throughout the rehearsal process. She believes the skill of the actors and the ease of their rapport are essential in helping audiences relate to the quirky characters.
"I direct a lot. People who work at their craft, I like to work with. And I've seen people sitting in here working with their craft, whether they're new to the theater or not, and I appreciate that," she said. "I think the basic message that everybody takes away from this is just take time to love one another. That says it all, and that way, you can wrap it up in the big red bow at the end. In the hands of less skilled actors, it wouldn't play. And that's why I'm so grateful to have experienced actors along with people who've not done a show and younger ones."
Allan Reeves, who plays Carl, makes his stage debut in "A Nice Family Christmas."
"This is my first time in anything. So, it's completely new. It's a great learning experience," Reeves said. "Even in this short amount of time, it's really opened my eyes to how much more goes into all of this stuff. Instead of just always sitting in the audience and thinking, 'How hard is it to remember a line?' Oh, it's incredibly hard. It's a lot of fun."
Bella Amatuccio portrays Carl's sarcastic sister Stacy, who is guarding a secret of her own.
"I haven't done a play since middle school. So, this is a nice little debut back into that. And I really love the script. I love how it reads, kind of like a sitcom almost, and I'm really excited to portray my character and be with this cast," she explained.
Carl's brother Michael, played by Kevin Velando, has a gambling problem that he tries to hide from his wife, Jill, who is portrayed by Jennifer Toral.
"There are funny things that go on with Michael's character because he has an obsession with plate collection and gambling. He went to rehab twice, and then he's going through some serious marital problems with his wife. And he's a doctor, so he's supposed to be the one that's most squared away," said Velando.
To add to the stress of their relationship, Jill is struggling with insecurities that compound their problems.
"Jill's character can't have kids, and she's taking fertility medication and things like that because she's having trouble having kids, and that's putting a strain on their relationship. I want him to prove that he loves me instead of putting all his attention into all these other things," Toral explained.
Veteran local actress Ellen Erikson Cooper plays Grandma and doles out snarky observations and unfiltered advice to everyone in the family.
"Grandma has a heart. She just wants everybody not to get trampled on in life. She wants the best for everybody, and she may not have a very gracious way of doing it, but that's the way she grew up," said Cooper.
Real-life husband and wife Victor and Patti Caroli play Uncle Bob and Carl's widowed mother.
"I love playing Uncle Bob. Well, I love him and I don't. But one of the things I like about him is he's this crazy, drugged, old guy, and he doesn't give a damn what he says. He's kind of the tragic figure in the piece because he's the one guy that has had a really, really bad life," said Vic Caroli.
Patti Caroli is excited to work with her husband and Cooper, a longtime friend. The role of the mother in "A Nice Family Christmas" is a departure from the comedic roles she normally plays.
"I think I would have what you call the straight-man part in this show. I'm kind of the anchor of the household," Patti Caroli said. "All I want is a nice family Christmas. And I have these kids who are bickering. And I have Uncle Bob showing up unannounced. And then I got my mom who has no filter for anything she says. And all I want is just a little bit of quiet and peace on earth and goodwill towards men. And some lutefisk (codfish). Lutefisk figures into this show. It's big in Minnesota. This play takes place in Minneapolis. There's a lot of references to Scandinavia."
"It tastes like soap," quipped Cooper.
"You know what's hard for me in this show? This mom doesn't hug anybody. I'm Italian. I hug everybody. So even when they try to hug me, I can't hug back. And that's hard. I do get a few good digs in even though I'm a straight man. I think we play well off each other," Patti Caroli described.
Despite old conflicts and unresolved tension, humor softens the edges of difficult truths and makes it easier for the family members to address their issues and heal.
"The comedy helps this family have the deep conversations that are hard to get to. A lot of people use comedy and being funny as a defense mechanism because they don't really know how to open the hard conversations up. Everybody's a tragic character in their own way, and we get through it by comedy, and we segue through all these hardships with a joke here and there," explained Velando.
As chaos unfolds and it seems like the holiday spirit might be doomed, the characters find unexpected ways to reconnect.
"It's a comedy. It's not a farce. We resolve a lot in an hour and 30 minutes, and the rapport you get between the characters is a metaphor for what's going on in the world today, and I hope that people take that away from the show to be a little kinder to each other at Christmas and the rest of the year, too," Keenan said. "I'd like to say that we're doing all of this for love, but the Studio Players need support and money. And I would encourage people who enjoy different theater to come because, once they come here, you see them again and again."
With equal parts humor and heart, "A Nice Family Christmas" offers audiences a chance to experience the spirit of the holiday season and leave with a renewed appreciation for their own families. ¦
In the KNOW
"A Nice Family Christmas"
· Where: The Studio Players, Joan Jenks Auditorium, Golden Gate Community Center, 4701 Golden Gate Pkwy, Naples
· When: Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 5, 6, 7 at 7:30 p.m., and Dec.1 & 8 at 3:00 p.m.
· Tickets: $35
