QuarryWorks delivers in 'A Moon for the Misbegotten' By JIM LOWE Staff Writer, Times Argus August 15, 2004

The curtain call after a recent performance of "Hello, Dolly!" Staff photo.

Calais - Eugene O'Neill's "A Moon for the Misbegotten," is a powerful and bittersweet romance, and the QuarryWorks production being presented at the Adamant Music School goes a long way in showing why it is one of the real masterpieces of theater. The 1947 play, set in rural 1913 Connecticut, somewhat reflects O'Neill's own tortured youth. Josie is the only one of Phil Hogan's offspring who will live with him on their ramshackle farm - because she's the only one who can handle him. The old Irish immigrant has been a tyrant and a drunk ever since his wife died. Josie is no saint either, with a reputation for sleeping around but keeping the men in line. In short, even her father is afraid of her. In a particularly entertaining scene, their joint venom is enthusiastically vented on a millionaire neighbor who has come to protest the Hogans' pigs wallowing in his ice pond. Phil and Josie quickly turn the tables on the unsuspecting unfortunate with a hilarious mix of acid wit. Josie's one soft spot is for is their wealthy - and usually drunk - landlord, Jim Tyrone. Ever since his mother died, Jim has not only hit the bottle, but the streets of New York City in search of love - from prostitutes. When Phil thinks that Jim might sell the farm out from under him, he pushes Josie to "be nice" to him. But not all is as it seems and before it's over, a beautiful - if unhappy - tale of love is told. This psychologically powerful drama is three hours long, but the QuarryWorks production made Fnday's performance seem a lot shorter. Directed by Thomas Stevens, it was never dull, and often riveting, funny and touching. Despite this being a real tear-jerker, there is a lot of humor to be had, particularly with this fine cast. Carol Dawes delivered a powerful and sympathetic performance as Josie. The executive director of the Barre Opera House, Dawes proved quite successful in only gradually revealing Josie's heart of gold underneath all that crustiness. Ross Longtin is even slower revealing Phil's truth. The head of the theater department at Johnson State College, Longtin delivered a very personal performance, making the curmudgeon quirky, slowly revealing layer upon layer of his difficult life. At first, the portrayal seems a bit odd for those familiar with the play, but his version soon becomes real, convincing and, finally, touching. (Only the final scene between Josie and Phil feels a little too touching for these difficult characters, but this is nitpicking.) After a bit of a slow start, Bill Pelton became convincing and sympathetic as Jim. Particularly toward the end, Pelton's characterization becomes gripping and incredibly sad - just what this drama calls for. Longtin is a seasoned professional actor - and it shows - but this production marks easily Dawes' and Pelton's most challenging roles, and they both not only proved up to it, they delivered in such a convincing way that it was impossible to leave the theater unmoved. In supporting roles, Mark Fiorillo as Josie's brother Mike, and Eric Smith as the millionaire T. Stedman Harder, were well-cast and believable. Attractive original music by singer songwriter Colin McCaffrey was particularly effective as interludes in setting the scene. Its success as background varied, but it never intruded, and sometimes added to the scene's poignancy. There were a few small blocking problems that marred this oherwise fine production, particularly having character speaking from the back of the theater so it lessened the power of the dramatic connection. The realistic set by Eric Ryea, costumes by CaroI Rooke-VanTuinen, and lighting by Grant Orenstein all contributed to the polish of the production. QuarryWorks' production is amazingly powerful for community theater. A Moon for the Misbegotten QuarryWorks presents a community production of the classic Eugene O'Neill drama, "A Moon for the Misbegotten," Aug. 12-22, at the Adamant Music School's Phillips Experimental Theatre, Quarry Road in Calais. Performances are Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 1 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Admission is free, but seating is limited; tickets are available two hours before each performance (no reservations). For information, call 229-9297