The Man Who Came to Dinner
at Lutheran High School of Orange County

Reviewed on January 17, 2014

Jennifer Kaplan
Tesoro
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Laughter is on the Menu at Orange Lutheran's ‘Dinner'

It's a feast of banter when a cantankerous, obnoxious, and insulting houseguest invades the Stanley household- and he can't leave. Thus begins Orange Lutheran's "The Man Who Came to Dinner", a satire of late 1930's Hollywood personalities which follows the escapades of the increasingly exasperated Stanley family as they attempt to cater to the famously creative and infamously contemptible author Sheridan Whiteside, who is wheelchair-bound while recovering from a freak accident.

Sheridan Whiteside's (Zach Relock) piercing, stentorian voice is the initial sound to barrel throughout the theatre- at once both captivating and irritating. His harsh vocalizations ingeniously compensate for the limited blocking of being wheelchair-bound- whether spitting out insults with a Chesire-cat grin or thrusting his head back in throaty, gurgling laughter so powerful he must grip his wheelchair. Fittingly, the radio star transforms every gesture into a story, communicating his emotions in how smoothly or recklessly he navigates his wheelchair onstage.

To counter Whiteside's gruffness, his secretary, Maggie Cutler (Emily Porr), strides purposefully, straight-backed and with focused eyes indicating her professionalism. Her quick banter with Whiteside suggests their familiarity. While others retreat from him, she weathers his barrage of verbal vitriol by using her crossed arms as a physical shield from his emotional barbs. Her icy armor becomes thawed when she falls in love; now unguarded emotionally and physically, she carelessly leaps onto the couch and symbolically throws off her restrictive coat. With newfound vulnerability, she is more sensitive to Whiteside's attacks, finally shifting into fury as she marches towards the curmudgeon, finger pointed like a dagger that is even sharper than his words.

By contrast, famed actress Lorraine Sheldon's (Grace Underwood) vicious sensuality doesn't require a dagger to appear dangerous. Epitomizing Old Hollywood theatricality, she glides across the stage, fur-clad arms extended like a swan preparing for flight. She ostentatiously drawls words and exercises sultry gestures as bright as her rhinestone-encrusted ensembles, with graceful hands slowly and surely conducting each scene- paralleling the way this modern-day Circe conducts men to do her bidding.

Here, seated at the table, are an acerbic grouch, a distressed businesswoman, and an angry vixen. Their need to feed off of one another's emotions satiates the audience's hunger for laughter. Acidic wits and salty personalities combine for a deliciously humorous "Dinner"- so savor every bite!

Nikki Tran
Fountain Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Orange County Register

Orange Lutheran serves a gourmet "Dinner"

Orange Lutheran's comedic romp "The Man Who Came to Dinner" elicits laughter and more when a houseguest takes advantage a family's hospitality after injuring himself at their home. From turning their parlor room into his personal bedroom to bringing home convicts, cockroaches, and Chinese students, this houseguest redefines the meaning of overstaying one's welcome. With its colorful platter of characters, Orange Lutheran delivers a feast for the eyes.

Zach Relock animates the production through his biting remarks and brute sarcasm as the exhausting houseguest, celebrity Sheridan Whiteside. Upon his entrance, a wheelchair-bound Relock rolls onto stage, with flared nostrils and raised eyebrows, to brazenly express his displeasure towards his paltry accommodations. As he barks his demands, Relock manages to craft a big personality despite his confinement to a wheelchair. This pompous vibrancy peaks in a scene where he answers phone calls from friends. With his head thrown back and mouth wide open, he gives an unapologetically obnoxious cackle that infects all who hear it.

To balance Relock's grandiose air, Emily Porr stands poised as Sheridan's efficient secretary, Maggie Cutler. Sorting through papers with precision and tolerating her boss's taxing behavior, she embodies the competency and resilience of a professional workingwoman. Yet, when she falls head-over-heels for local journalist Bert Jefferson (Evan Colburn), she transforms into a giddy schoolgirl. Full of giggles and coy smiles, her composure sheds once she admits to Sheridan that she is in love. Through this character shift, Porr brings a dynamic flavor to her role and distinguishes herself as a versatile performer.

Other supporting players, too, create memorable performances. Of Sheridan's many friends who pop in-and-out of the home, Grace Underwood leaves a lasting impression as the narcissistic starlet Lorraine Sheldon. She embraces the allure of 1930s glamour girls through her sultry voice and melodramatic gestures. Her theatrical antics culminate when her reputation reduces to shambles, and she releases a hysterically outrageous and aptly terrifying scream.

This same energy is reflected in the ensemble. Beginning with their appearance as gossipy, celebrity-obsessed townspeople, the ensemble buzzes with excitement and fawns over Sheridan. Pushing each other for a better glimpse of the star, the ensemble effectively sets the atmosphere of celebrity worship while maintaining a sense of unity.

A humorous riot, Orange Lutheran's production not only entertains, but also provides a timeless truth on maturing and realizing when it's time to leave.

Allison Cruz
Aliso Niguel High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook

Orange Lutheran's "Man" Serves "Dinner" and a Show

Very few dinner guests will bring with them 10 thousand live cockroaches and a string of murder convicts – but Sheridan Whiteside is no ordinary guest. Orange Lutheran High School welcomes this eccentric visitor in their hysterical version of the classic Kaufman and Hart comedy, "The Man Who Came to Dinner."

This 3-act farce features the self-centered radio personality, Sheridan Whiteside, as "The Man" who came to the Stanley family home for dinner (and never left). Trapped after an unfortunate slip leaves him in a wheelchair, this controlling Hollywood houseguest turns the tables on this small Ohio town with some outrageous guests of his own.

With his acerbic belittlement of everyone around him, especially Miss Preen (Kiersten Rummel), Zach Relock brings the cavalier character of Whiteside to life. His presumptuous, demanding behavior is amplified through his blaringly loud, squawky voice and emphatic gestures. Relock's ability to go from alarmingly calm to hilariously overdone in a moment's notice demonstrates not only strong comedic talent but also impressive pliability as an actor.

Balancing out Whiteside's erratic nature is his rational and button-up secretary, Maggie Cutler (Emily Porr). As the only stentorian voice of reason, she boldly challenges her boss and his devious schemes. Porr's strong sense of self never falters, even as she falls madly in love with the dreamy Bert Jefferson (Evan Colburn). Competition over this boy-next-door's attention drives her rivalry with the melodramatic Lorraine Sheldon (Grace Underwood). Underwood's confident portrayal of the seductive actress with a sultry voice reflects undeniable maturity and sophistication.

Supporting with additional comic relief is Harriet Stanley (Carolyne Riggs) and Banjo (Nick Ciulla). With her arms spread like wings, Stanley floats in with an air of pure happiness, clearly demonstrating her character's inability to comprehend the chaos around her. On the other hand, Ciulla and his rambunctious antics generate an infectious and vibrant energy.

Likewise, the ensemble's animated spirit provides a firm base for the show. Each individual character's witty line delivery and overdone body movements provide a fresh, relatable interpretation of the slightly antiquated 1930s jokes and references.

Orange Lutheran, in this outstanding production, serves up a feast of entertainment, along with the reminder that the selfish will always receive the pain they dish out.