Twenty-four years ago, Neil Simon’s “Chapter Two” debuted at the Imperial Theatre in New York City, receiving rave reviews. This week, five actors will recapture the magic of this classic romantic comedy in the first dinner theatre performance of the State Theatre & International Bistro since its recent reconstruction.
Angie Marquez plays Jenny; Ashley Cobb plays Faye; Kris Lee plays Leo; Kevin Cassell-Dunlap plays George, and together they play the breath that will breathe life back into the State Theatre after having an abandoned stage for more than 15 years.
“The stage itself sparked the idea to have a dinner theater performance because it is ideal and has the potential for various acts like live bands, play performances and a lot more,” State Theatre & International Bistro manager Jeff Bates said.
Such projects like this work hand and hand with the Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau’s efforts to make Main Street the place it once was.
“This (dinner theatre at the State Theatre) will be great for the downtown area because it creates another destination, and that’s what we are in the business of,” Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Lynn Doyle said.
“The Downtown Business Association in the city of Starkville are in the process of doing some things to revitalize downtown; there are plans to pave the streets, put in additional landscaping near intersections and purchase more flags to make downtown look more festive,” Doyle said. “There is a lot of momentum downtown with people’s excitement of the opening of The Courthouse Grill, Old Venice and now The International Bistro. There are just lots of reasons to come downtown-not just during the day but evenings and weekends too.”
The optimism runs rampant in re-establishing the Old Main District, and several people in the community have had positive responses to the idea of dinner theatre downtown and this has kept the phones ringing and reservations steady at the International Bistro.
“The public is very interested in this, and most people are very appreciative of the fact that there is something different to do-something that is more culturally diverse for them to choose from in Starkville,” Bates said.
“This will help revitalize this district, and progress has been made with the opening of the different businesses and the things they are doing with their fronts. Even renaming it the Old Main District has helped, and eventually this will become a focal point of entertainment, a venue for foot-traffic where you just walk around to see what’s going on at Main Street and have a lot of options.”
The actors have been hard at work for more than six weeks in preparation for the big event, and according to Bates, they have been the driving force behind bringing it all together. International Bistro workers are doubling as crew and set designers, and technical support comes from graduates of the Mississippi State University theatre department.
Descending steps beyond the bar of the Bistro lead into the actual theatre section, and one cannot help but to take on a omnivorous view jam-packed with attention to the soft light that illuminates the letter “S” in calligraphy that sits atop of the stage-representing State Theatre-the dimness of the room with rich hues of dark red in the carpet and the thick velvet curtain on stage, not to mention the high ceiling and a cool draft that whispers the history of the building.
The ambience of the place transports patrons back in time to the 1947 theatre that is photographed in James S. Cole’s book “Images of America: Oktibbeha County.” It was here that I sat with the cast of “Chapter Two” over Canadian bacon and cheese pizza and a couple of beers to discuss the play, risqu? scenes, the dinner theatre experience and the role of entertainment after Sept. 11.
Reflector: Whose idea was it to have “Chapter Two” as the first breakout performance of the State Theatre & International Bistro?
Marquez: When Dave first bought this theatre, we talked about doing dinner theatre around Valentine’s Day, so I started looking for a show over Christmas with a small cast and basically a romantic comedy and came across “Chapter Two.”
Reflector: Did you consider any other plays?
Marquez: Neil Simon plays normally go over well so I just looked over a bunch of Simon’s stuff.
Lee: We looked at some other plays, but they were a little more controversial, like “Batman in Skirts”
Reflector: Give readers a little preview of the play.
Marquez: There is actually a quote of George’s character that says “Alright Leo, my sweet baby brother, I’m back, chapter two in the life of George Schneider.”
And this is about the second chapter in your life, getting married young, and things happen like divorce and the loss of significant others, and you look around saying what do I do now. It’s the things that happen to you in your 30s and 40s.
Lee: (jokingly) Since we’ve all experienced them
Reflector: Kevin, what’s your favorite part about playing your character?
Dunlap: My favorite part about my character is…
Cobb: That he gets to make out with me!
Dunlap: (After laughter) …is the relationship between my brother and I, which is quite similar to the relationship that I have with my brother in real life. There are a lot of funny lines between us, a lot of comedy when we are on the stage together, dry humor mostly.
Reflector: There are some scenes where you guys wear little next to nothing, how do you feel about that?
Lee: (In a deep Southern accent) You gonna see me in my boxers. I have no problem with that.
Marquez: Ashley has the most challenge because she has to come out on two occasions with practically nothing on wrapped in a sheet with a lot of physical action.
Cobb: It’s a lot to work through. I have been working on that scene in the actual sheet for about four or five weeks, and that was something I was not used to doing on-stage.
Reflector: Both Marquez and Dunlap have had experience in the realm of dinner theatre, How about you two, Kris, and Ashley?
Lee: I’ve done dessert theatre…no really, they just came and had dessert. I’m not lying about that.
Cobb: I have never done it, ever.
Reflector: What are your expectations?
Cobb: I think it’ll be a different experience all together but I look to enjoy it; I really do. People are going to be of good spirits, and it’ll be more casual.
Reflector: What makes dinner theatre special?
Marquez: Because it’s not just like you go to a show and leave; it’s an event; it’s an evening; it’s special you are there; you come in and have wine, eat a great meal and at intermission you get dessert and coffee. It’s a really nice evening out.
Reflector: What do you think audience members will take away from this play?
Marquez: Ever since Sept. 11, entertainment has taken on a new meaning, and it is a distraction from fear. First and foremost, we hope that they’ll be entertained, and it’ll make people feel good about love and being touched by it.
Bates explained that the food served is just as important as the performance itself.
“You really can’t get this anywhere else in town and you’d want to have the food mesh with the play so we are offering blackened tuna with a citrus sauce over spinach fettuccini, and we do a vegetable medley of yellow carrots and snap peas with broccoli and red peppers. We also have a Bronx Strip with a gorgonzola port sauce and vegetarian dishes,” Bates said.
“We want the food to stand out as much as what stands out on stage; it has to fit aesthetically.”
“Chapter Two” will debut at the State Theatre & International Bistro Feb. 13 with performances on Feb. 14 and 15 as well. For more information and reservations, call 323-2951.