REVIEW: Senters makes everybody love ‘Opal’

By Diana Nollen

AMANA - I loved Opal more than her story.

Marquetta Senters can embody any character and make her charming. That's lucky for the Old Creamery Theatre, which opened its 2010 mainstage season Thursday afternoon (4/29/10) with “Everybody Loves Opal.”

The late John Patrick, better known for writing “The Curious Savage” and the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning stage adaptation for “The Teahouse of the August Moon,” dishes up a dark comedy with subtle laughs in this fairly timeless tale. It dates back to 1962, but is at home in almost any modern era.

The story revolves around Opal, an eccentric, kindhearted junk dealer, and the three con artists who plot her demise. Opal's rundown, three-story house near a dump is the perfect place to make their faux French perfume far from the eyes of the law.

Without giving her any crucial details, the three faux friends weasel their way into Opal's good graces, set up shop on her third floor, make her their “silent partner” and take out a hefty life insurance policy on her, naming themselves as the beneficiaries.

Thrilled to have such colorful characters sharing her home, Opal greets them with gusto, then goes about her business of talking to her plants, petting her furniture, squeezing and reusing a multitude of tea bags, humming nondescript melodies and gathering more treasures from the trash heap.

Meanwhile, the nefarious trio end up foiled at every turn as they try to carry out their dastardly deed.

Senters, of South Amana, is the perfect Opal, twisting her rubbery face into a goofy ear-to-ear grin and slinking around the stage with physical abandon. The trio keeps pace with her quite well, displaying their own well-honed comedy chops.

Andy Brown of Tennessee turns on the boyish charm to cover his oily interior as Brad, a professor-turned-criminal who spouts Shakespeare and poetry and will stop at nothing to succeed. Just the opposite, Jason Grubbe of Iowa City changes from nasty to nice as Opal's kindness turns his rough, gruff crime boss Sol to mush. Lisa Margolin of New York plays the ditsy airhead Gloria, who peddles the perfume and always has a soft spot for Opal.

Tom Milligan of East Amana directs the show and goes head-to-head with Senters in a hilarious scene where he tries to get just a few straight answers for the insurance physical. T.J. Besler of Manchester rounds out the cast as the cop who smells a rat.

This isn't a side-splitting show, but it takes on a certain charm when Senters casts her spell.

FAST TAKE

 What: “Everybody Loves Opal”

Where: Old Creamery Theatre's Main Stage, 39 38

^th

Ave., Amana

When: Through May 23, 2010; 3 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Tickets: $26.50 adults, $17.50 students, at 1-(800) 35-AMANA or go to www.oldcreamery.com