Samantha Miller, Coral Pena, Lilian Rebelo and Ashley Brooke (Photo by Craig Schwartz Photography)
Reviewed by Terry Morgan
Kirk Douglas Theatre
Through September 17
Although one isn’t supposed to judge a book by its cover — or anything by its title — in reality either can certainly pique one’s interest. If Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf had been called A Bad Marriage or The Iceman Cometh had been People Speechifying in a Bar, they may not have received the attention they deserved for the amazing plays they are. I was intrigued by both the title and the premise of Alexis Scheer’s Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, currently playing at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, but unfortunately those are the best things about the play, which, sadly, is neither believable nor compelling.
In 2008 Miami, four teenage girls have gathered in a treehouse for their monthly club meeting. This gathering of the “Dead Leaders” club is an unusual one, however – the members are intending to hold a séance to contact dead drug lord Pablo Escobar. Kit (Coral Peña) is the newest member, and the other girls, especially group leader Pipe (Lilian Rebelo), are trying to scare her a bit. After the first séance takes an unexpected turn, the group waits a while before trying again. Squeeze (Samantha Miller) is busy organizing a dance performance as a tribute to her dead father, while Zoom (Ashley Brooke) is dating a “soccer boy.” But they all have their reasons for a second séance, which will prove significantly more fateful than the first.
Rebelo is convincing as the forceful Pipe, both in displaying her bullying surface and revealing her less certain inner self, which she only shows to Kit. Peña is quite good as Kit, who appears laid back to her new friends but is actually grappling with more difficulties than they know. Miller is appealing as Squeeze, who likes to goof and tease her friends. Brooke makes the strongest impression as the desperate-to-fit-in Zoom, nailing the character’s awkward humor and growing sense of panic as the story progresses.
Director Lindsay Allbaugh gets strong performances from her cast and stages scenes, such as the girls’ dance practice, with visual flair. François-Pierre Couture’s treehouse set is detailed and visually impressive. Scheer’s writing, however, disappoints. I never believed a moment of the play’s situations or relationships. Let’s start with this: a group of teenage girls in 2008 meet in a treehouse to talk with the ghost of Pablo Escobar because they think he’s sexy or could solve their problems? None of that passes the smell test. It might have if the writer had been going somewhere original with that premise, but instead we’re given a tepid mix of teenage drama and supernatural hokum. The ending, which evokes the power of feminine rage, concludes the proceedings on a strong note, but it feels like unearned catharsis due to the weakness of the rest of the show.
I very much wanted to like Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, but even Pablo Escobar could tell that this package is suspiciously light.
Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City; Tues.- Fri. 8 p.m., Sat. 2 & 8 p.m., Sun. 1 & 6:30 p.m.; through September 17. www.CenterTheatreGroup.org. Running time: 90 minutes with no intermission.
