Atolas Theater Company Debuts with Lynn Siefert's Little Egypt

High school is a tough time for everyone. Most people that come from small towns know all too well the pain of being "uncool." But a wise older friend once told me when I was an awkward, "uncool" sophomore that "to be at the top of your game in high school means it's all downhill from there."

Nowhere is such a universal truth made so glaringly obvious as in Lynn Siefert's new play Little Egypt, the debut production of the infant Atolas Theater Company. The show follows a mother and her two daughters through the trials and tribulations of finding love in a small town. Both the mother, Faye (Mara O'Leary), and daughter, Bernadette (Adina Taubman), were prom queens in high school. Both were well known, popular and "at the top of their game," yet despite such high school fame have ended up in dead-end jobs at the local IHOP of Cairo, IL. All they can do now is reminisce about the past.

The play begins with the return of the prodigal daughter, Celeste (Antonia Stout), who left twelve years before--after the suicide of her father--to pursue higher education. Upon her return she is met with both open arms and indignation, as the mother still resents her for leaving, yet is happy that she has returned.

As Bernadette becomes involved with Watson (Gary Widlund), a self-described loner who is manipulative and calculating yet charismatic, Celeste meets his best friend, security guard Victor (Luca Pierucci). While Watson talks his way into Bernadette's life (and her apartment), Victor manages to find his way into Celeste's heart. The two begin the most awkward yet sweet relationship I have ever seen portrayed on the stage.

While the first act moves swiftly through the hazy happiness of new love, the second act explores the darker side of Bernadette and Faye's relationships, exposing the glaring problems that they somehow could not see from the outset. In a bizarre twist of events, Watson manages to destroy Bernadette's and his own happiness, as well as Celeste and Victor's relationship, while Faye's relationship with the town's married mayor also comes to an abrupt end. I won't even try to explain the ending, as the second act is simply too complex to understand with a mere written explanation, considering I had a hard time following the sequence of events while watching it live.

The climax--in terms of quality--was most definitely at the end of the first act. The second act was confusing, undeveloped, and rushed through major points that left the audience bewildered. But at no time was this the actors' fault; on the contrary, it was their performances that made the show an overall enjoyable and thoughtful experience that I would most definitely recommend.

The six starring characters of Little Egypt were of an unusually fine caliber for an off-Broadway show. Leary was absolutely perfect as Faye: not only did she deliver every line with brilliant ease, but she brought so much more to her role by portraying the mother in such a complete fashion that every gesture, every look, helped portray her struggling character. The demanding noteworthy.

Both Stout and Taubman, whose respective characters were almost complete opposites, also gave excellent performances playing off one another, yet never lost the chemistry of sisters. Stout and Pierucci as a duo showed fabulous timing in their dialogue, which was written to be discordant and schizophrenic as they volley intellectually back and forth on the court of shy and awkward love. But their connection is undeniable, and their true (albeit odd) love affair is something that will most definitely make the audience smile.

Siefert's play is confusing at times, but also has a bunch of great lines throughout that provide comic relief from this hard-hitting drama. When Celeste asks Victor to watch her purse, he literally stands there and watches it. Or how Watson tells Victor that "women run away from needy guys," when in fact, it is Victor's neediness that drives Celeste into his arms.

Little Egypt is by no means a fluff play. Be ready to think and to follow the characters as they all board the love rollercoaster from hell. But the ride the audience takes begins with waffles and coffee served in a side room by the three talented actresses who are trying to get their small, yet strong Atolas Theater Company off the ground. With great potential for success and such solid acting skills, I'd say the ladies of Atolas--as opposed to the ladies of Cairo, IL--are well on their way to success.

Little Egypt will be playing at the Producers Club II at 616 9th Avenue, Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 7 p.m. For tickets call (212) 206-1515.