Alisha Soper and Laura Gardner (Photo by Paul Kennedy)
Reviewed by Joseph Klink
International City Theatre
Through March 3
RECOMMENDED
It is spring of 1956 and Marilyn Monroe’s newest film, Bus Stop, is soon to begin filming. She is at the height of her career and has the most recognized name in entertainment history. Studios brand her as flawless — indeed, jaw-dropping! — yet ever committed to her craft and her fans. Under a new contract, she’s been studying “The Method” with Lee Strassberg — and she’s producing the film. Marilyn is untethered and she is flying.
Alongside her in the film is Eileen Heckart, who later became an Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe and Tony award-winning actress with a career that spanned nearly 60 years. Eileen is grounded, experienced and unsuspecting when asked to be in the feature with Marilyn. The two of them, women in their thirties, became increasingly close as Marilyn felt it incumbent on them to become best friends, just like their characters. Forty-five years later, Eileen’s son, Luke, attempts to better understand his mother and their relationship through her memories of Marilyn.
Playwright and director Luke Yankee, Eileen’s real-life son, provides a touching, intimate character study of both actresses in his fact-based play Marilyn, Mom, & Me. Eileen (Laura Gardner) receives her son, Luke (Brian Rohan) at her home when he explains that he is interested in preserving her stories via audiotape. He hopes that, by interviewing her, he will also reveal how Eileen came to be the mother that she was, highly critical and often stern. She hesitates, for she has long kept from discussing this particular time in her life with her children.
The stage (scenic designer Dan Volonte) is nearly bare, save for a few chairs, while the floor is multi-leveled with a wood finish. There is a backdrop for projections that supplement the spare furnishings. It is soon clear why, as director, Yankee has opted for minimalism. From the moment that Marilyn Monroe (Alisha Soper) walks onstage, the space is filled with light and one can feel her magnetism. (It is worth noting, here, that Soper has a history of playing Monroe in numerous productions on stage and for television.) This is, undoubtedly, the best representation of Marilyn that I have seen. By wonderful contrast, Gardner, who plays Eileen both past (around 36 years old) and present, is seen immersed in her own memories that she shares with her son, now older than she was when she and Marilyn were friends. Gardner and Soper are dynamic and have excellent chemistry. They elevate and ground one another, and they respect the work tasked to them.
Rohan’s portrayal of Luke is heartfelt, honest, and humble; under Yankee’s direction, his best, most moving work comes in those scenes where he acts as observer, rather like another audience member taking in the interactions of Eileen, Marilyn, and all the other characters they share the stage with. All others, by the way, is an understatement. Accompanying the titular three are a myriad of other faces, several of them iconic figures, all played by only two other actors, Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield and Noah Wagner. These many other characters come on stage fully realized and make their mark. Together, along with excellent design in costumes by Kimberly DeShazo, this production carries a lot of heart, looks great and is executed professionally.
International City Theatre, Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center, Beverly O’Neill Theater, 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach; Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 pm, Sun., 2 pm; thru March 3. https://www.ictlongbeach.org Running time: approximately two hours with an intermission.
