There’s something wonderfully reassuring about a play that suggests the people society considers crazy might actually have a better handle on life than those who insist they’re perfectly normal. John Patrick’s The Curious Savage delivers plenty of eccentric comedy, but beneath the laughs lies a pointed observation about money, family, compassion, and the absurdity of judging people by society’s standards. Currently onstage at The Keeton Theatre through October 25, director Michael Welch takes on this 1950 classic with a story that feels surprisingly relevant, reminding audiences that good manners don’t necessarily make good people, and a healthy bank account doesn’t guarantee a happy life.
The premise is deliciously simple. Wealthy widow Ethel Savage wants to use her late husband’s fortune to help people pursue their dreams rather than surrender it to her greedy stepchildren, Titus, Lily Belle, and Samuel. Their solution? Have Ethel committed to The Cloisters, where they expect to bring her to her senses. Instead, Ethel discovers a community of wonderfully unconventional individuals whose humanity puts her supposedly respectable family to shame.
Welch’s production understands that the comedy works best when the characters are treated as people rather than punchlines. The residents’ eccentricities provide the laughs, but their vulnerability and capacity for compassion give the play its heart. The result is a reminder that perhaps the most troubling behavior comes not from those who see the world differently, but from those convinced their own way is the only acceptable one.
Ann Street-Kavanagh’s Ethel Savage is, to borrow a phrase, a performance of “tenacious mediocrity unhampered by taste.” I kid, I kid. (See the show and you’ll get the joke.) Seriously, this might be Street-Kavanagh’s shining moment in local theatre. She seems to have been born to play Ethel Savage, balancing the character’s whimsical nature with a quiet determination that makes her impossible to dismiss. She is the heart of the production, and watching her navigate Ethel’s determination to live life on her own terms is a genuine pleasure. The night I attended, Street-Kavanagh’s mic pack slipped from her dress mid-scene. Without missing a beat, she simply grabbed it, held it in her hand, and finished the scene like a pro. It was an impressively unfussy bit of theatrical problem-solving that demonstrated exactly the kind of composure you want from a seasoned performer.
As Titus Savage, Jason Rainwater delivers the haughty, self-important attitude that fits perfectly into the world of the societal Savages. Titus is a man accustomed to having his opinions respected and his expectations met, and Rainwater captures the character’s sense of entitlement without losing sight of the comedy. He represents the kind of respectable authority that playwright Patrick enjoys skewering, proving that a distinguished public image and a decent moral compass are two entirely different things. Yet another reason this 76-year-old play still feels oh so relevant.
Frederick ‘Rick’ Heiman Jr.’s Samuel Savage brings an authenticity to the character’s disdain for just about anything that inconveniences him. A judge whose own values are considerably less impressive than his professional title suggests, Samuel is driven by greed and an impressive capacity for irritation. Heiman makes that self-serving attitude part of the character’s comic appeal, giving Samuel the air of a man who considers everyone else’s existence a personal affront.
Katie Delaune’s Lily Belle Savage is an especially enjoyable balancing act. She understands Lily Belle’s concern with appearances and what other people think while also allowing a genuine concern for her stepmother to peek through. That little bit of humanity makes Lily Belle more interesting than a simple caricature of an avaricious socialite. Delaune also demonstrates terrific comedic prowess, particularly in one late-hour scene when Lily Belle drops behind the sofa and re-emerges a little worse for wear to riotous laughter. It’s a perfectly timed physical-comedy moment that earns every giggle.
Among the residents of The Cloisters, Brittany Mask brings gentleness and humanity to Florence, the grieving mother who carries a doll she believes to be her young son, John, lost to illness five years previous. In researching to chat with some of the cast for my recent Rapid Fire 20Q, I discovered that some recent productions have chosen to portray the child as presence throughout the play, but The Keeton’s presentation follows the original 1950 production’s approach, allowing the doll to represent Florence’s son as she understands him. It’s a choice that keeps the focus squarely on Florence’s emotional reality, and Mask handles the character with tenderness rather than turning her grief into a cheap laugh. Her performance brings an affecting humanity not only to Florence but to the play itself, reminding us that the residents’ eccentricities often have deeply personal roots.
And speaking of John, young Logan Dowlen makes a brief appearance as Florence’s son during the dream sequence at the play’s end, earning the distinction of cutest co-star, ever. It’s a fleeting moment, but one that adds a sweet punctuation mark to Florence’s story.
As Hannibal, Damon Cathey brings a kind of Forrest Gump-ish simplicity to the role. His character’s conviction that he is a concert violinist is another example of the play’s fascination with the realities people create for themselves. Cathey leans into Hannibal’s guileless quality, adding another distinct personality to the ensemble without making the character’s eccentricity the whole point.
Riley Basner’s Jeffrey is notable for his perfectly presented shyness. An all-too-young war veteran carrying emotional scars, Jeffrey is a character whose reticence speaks volumes. Basner’s understated approach provides a welcome contrast to some of the production’s broader comic personalities, giving Jeffrey space to be vulnerable without pushing the sentiment too hard.
Kathy Crisp’s Ms. Paddy is captivating—and relatable. After all, my mantra is quite often “I hate everybody,” so a woman who only speaks to list the things she hates is my kind of woman. Crisp’s otherwise nonverbal Ms. Paddy is a silent scene-stealer, proving that a character doesn’t need a mountain of dialogue to leave a memorable impression. Her expressive presence and wonderfully sour outlook make her one of the production’s most entertaining eccentricities.
Christina Shandor’s Fairy May is the group’s resident optimist, comedically bespectacled and wigged in what can only be described as a cross between Little Orphan Annie and Pippi Longstocking. Her sunny disposition and colorful imagination provide plenty of comic opportunities, but there’s a more vulnerable character underneath all that cheerfulness. Fairy May’s insistence on seeing the good in everything is also a way of protecting herself from the harsher realities of the world. Shandor brings an infectious energy to the role, and you absolutely have to stay until the end to see not just how Fairy May sees herself, but how Mrs. Savage sees her and her fellow inhabitants. It’s a lovely final touch that gives the audience one more reason to reconsider the assumptions they’ve made about the people of The Cloisters.
The staff of The Cloisters provides another perspective on the institution and its residents. Tony Barrow’s textbook performance as Dr. Emmett works well within the sterile, mechanical atmosphere of a sanitarium. His recitative, unfluctuating delivery offers a contrast to the unpredictable personalities in his care, reinforcing the system-desired orderly framework surrounding the residents’ unconventional lives.
Kathleen McClanahan’s Miss Willie, meanwhile, mixes kindness with empathy and a little unexpected spirit. As the nurse who remains at The Cloisters to care for her husband, a war pilot who has lost his memory, Miss Willie embodies the complicated intersection of love and obligation. McClanahan gives the character warmth while allowing glimpses of the determination beneath her gentle exterior. I have always found it odd that the revelation about her relationship doesn’t happen sooner in the play, as it is almost lost when it finally comes to light. It’s an important piece of her story, and one that might carry greater emotional weight if the audience had more time to absorb its implications.
Behind the scenes, Welch is supported by stage manager Hailey Pelletier, and a team of skilled artisans. Technical director and set designer Kevin Driver brings authenticity to the play’s mid-century setting by peppering the stage with a console tube radio, the de rigueur framed print of Thomas Lawrence‘s portrait of Pinkie and other touches. Though I do question the publication date of a certain magazine located on the coffee table. (I’m sure The Keeton’s go-to graphic designer Danny Proctor, or even I could provide a vintage mag if asked, but I digress). Costumer Denese René Evans‘ work, most notably via wardrobe choices of Florence and Lily Belle again reinforce the vintage era. Mrs. Savage is decked out in finery–though that sparkle-accented jacket reads a bit too modern and those black character shoes are, well, out of character for a woman of her status. Sound designer Steve Love, and lighting designer Jesse Watts. work seamlessly in tandem to help establish the institutional, yet inviting world of The Cloisters, providing the setting for a story that moves between comic absurdity and genuine emotional reflection.
Ultimately, The Curious Savage is less interested in defining madness than in exposing the peculiar behavior of people who are convinced they have everything figured out. Ethel’s stepchildren may have money, status, and social standing, but the residents of The Cloisters offer something far more valuable: compassion, companionship, and the freedom to be themselves.
The Keeton Theatre’s production gives this classic comedy an opportunity to remind us that kindness matters more than appearances, that wealth cannot buy genuine affection, and that the people who make life worthwhile are often those who understand us without demanding that we change. After all, a little eccentricity may be the least of our problems. And if Ethel Savage has anything to teach us, it’s that a generous heart and an independent mind are worth considerably more than a fat bank account and a family tree full of people waiting to cash in.
The Keeton‘s The Curious Savage continues through Sunday, October 25. CLICK HERE for tickets. For Friday and Saturday performances, doors are at 5:45pm with dinner service until 6:45 and show beginning at 7pm. Thursdays are show only with doors at 6:30pm and show at 7pm. For Sunday matinees, doors open at 12:45pm with meal service until 1:45pm and showtime at 2pm.
Next up following The Curious Savage, The Keeton presents their holiday offering Scrooge in Love on stage December 3-20. So you don’t miss out on upcoming shows at The Keeton Dinner Theatre, follow them on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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With an obvious nod to the original Broadway run’s scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, for The Keeton’s production, Kevin Driver and his scenic team (Abby Waddoups, Donna Driver, Aras Alexander, Eric Bradley and Crystal Liles) construct a seemingly simple but successful set. The backdrop, a stripped-down horizontal slat wall that beautifully plays with Jesse Watts’ lighting design. Also reminiscent of the original set design, Keeton’s stage is flanked on either side by tall, thin but sturdy trees that extend out of sight above the action. Driver and company nicely represent the play’s locale with the added touch of downstage rock formations, giving just a hint of a rocky-shored island vibe. No need for elaborate set pieces or projections representing the various scene locations. Throughout the action of the piece, a chair can represent a seat on a plane, a place at a table, a passenger waiting for answers or simply another piece of the constantly shifting landscape. To that end, the choreography by Mckenna Driver works hand-in-hand with that concept, keeping the ensemble in perpetual motion and allowing the story to move with the same speed and urgency as the characters’ rapidly changing circumstances. Here, chairs become airplanes one moment, a bus headed to parts unknown the next, and then a crowded airport filled with weary strangers who somehow become fast friends. If you read my column with any regularity, you know I love a bit of chairography (blame Sweet Charity’s Shirley MacLaine or Janet Jackson if you want) and in Come From Away, chairography—a wonderfully inventive use of the simplest theatrical object to create an entire world—is key.
There may be twelve cast members, but the way Come From Away is presented, each cast member plays at least two roles: those of the displaced passengers and crew of the diverted planes and the townspeople of Gander, Newfoundland. At the center of the ensemble is Melissa Silengo, whose performance as Beverly Bass is nothing short of a powerhouse. Silengo brings an impressive combination of authority, vulnerability and warmth to the role of the pioneering female pilot. Her rendition of “Me and the Sky” is one of the production’s defining moments, taking Beverly from a young girl captivated by the possibility of flight through the challenges of becoming a pilot and ultimately into the extraordinary circumstances that put her leadership to the test. Silengo never plays Beverly simply as a heroic figure; she gives her humanity, making the character’s determination all the more affecting.
As for the passengers, Yolanda Treece’s Hannah, is equally heartbreaking. Her story, particularly as she waits desperately for word about her son, gives the production some of its most emotionally devastating moments. Treece allows Hannah’s grief to unfold with restraint rather than melodrama, making the quiet moments every bit as powerful as the big ones. When the characters gather in prayer, the scene becomes a poignant reminder that despite differences in religion, nationality and circumstance, there are some fears and hopes that belong to all of us.
RAPID FIRE WITH COME FROM AWAY’s KEVIN J., JUSTIN TINKER
RAPID FIRE WITH COME FROM AWAY DIRECTOR SUSAN WALSWORTH
Leading this beautifully doomed endeavor is Joshua Mertz as Chris, the director/star/producer/everything-else of the show-within-the-show. Mertz plays Chris with just the right mix of puffed-up authority and slow-burn panic. As The Inspector within the mystery, watching him try to maintain control as things unravel faster than a cheap sweater is half the fun—and when he finally snaps, it’s worth the wait. Mertz, in his sixth show at The Keeton is proving himself to be a valuable asset the the company.
Aaron Gray’s Robert is the kind of community theatre actor who clearly believes he’s performing in Masterpiece Theatre, even as the world collapses around him. The fact that Gray is in or involved with nearly every Keeton production somehow added a if you know you know aspect to his role as Robert. As Thomas Collymoore, his dead-serious commitment in the face of utter nonsense makes every moment land harder, especially as the physical comedy ramps up and refuses to let him off easy. Kudos to his library scene. While the Keeton stage area does limit the intensity of the prospect of the second floor of the set completely collapsing, Gray’s physicality while keeping himself and all the props around his from falling away as the floor beneath him gives way, is gasping, belly-laughing joy to behold.
Keeton newcomer, Connor Boggs is tasked with the key role of Max. Initially cast in another role, Boggs stepped into the role of Max after the original actor had to drop out of the show. As Max and his mystery counterpart, Cecil, he figures out very early on that subtlety is overrated. Within the supposed seriousness of the murder mystery, for Cecil, once he gets a taste of audience laughter, it’s game over. He milks every moment for all it’s worth, turning even the smallest slip into a full-blown bit. That said, dressed in wardrobe that can only be described as a technicolor travesty—yes, the character is typically a bit of a dandy, but not quite so…flamboyant. Usually played as an overly confident community theatre actor with at least an initial modicum of subtlety, Bogg’s Cecil starts at 100mph and never slows down doing everything short of cartwheels from his stage entrance right on through to the final curtain. Under the direction of Bailey, Bogg’s Cecil is amped up and definitely played for laughs so much so that it runs the risk on a SNL skit that just doesn’t know when to
demanding physical comedy without ever dropping character. In one scene in particular, she’s pulled and flopped around by her cast mates as if her joins are made of bendy straws. Her physicality is slapstick at its best.
Wanderson Rezende’s Trevor Watson, stationed at the tech booth, proves that sometimes less is more. His distracted, couldn’t-care-less approach to running the show results in some of the night’s most perfectly timed “mistakes,” and when he’s finally dragged into the action, it’s awkward brilliance. And yes, Denese Rene’ Evans (the show’s costumer) I did indeed appreciate that Trevor is sporting a Duran Duran t-shirt! 
name, by the way), tasked with playing a corpse who…isn’t exactly great at the whole “lying still” thing. Fonville’s physical comedy—mistimed reactions, missed cues, and all—adds an extra layer of delightful absurdity to a role that could just be…well, dead.
Bottom line, if you like your theatre polished, pristine, and predictable…this ain’t it. But if you’re in the mood to laugh until your face hurts while watching a cast absolutely commit to the bit—even as the set tries to take them out—The Play That Goes Wrong at The Keeton is exactly the kind of beautifully disastrous night out you’re looking for. Just don’t expect anything to go right, because…Where’s the fun in that?
RAPID FIRE WITH THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’s JOSH MERTZ
RAPID FIRE WITH THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’s LESLIE KING
RAPID FIRE WITH THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’s HAZEN LAWSON
RAPID FIRE WITH THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG’s DIRECTOR, ERIN-GRACE BAILEY 
s Edward Bloom, Micheal Walley bursts onto the stage with charisma and conviction. From his first entrance, his speech pattern and delivery lands near Mark Twain’s distinctive Southern storytelling drawl — deliberate, charming, measured — and for some reason put me in mind of French Stewart’s Harry Solomon from “Third Rock from the Sun”, quick with an unexpected sarcastic bite. The blend gives Edward both homespun authenticity and razor-edged comedic timing, a balance that keeps the character from drifting into caricature. The subtle but effective vocal change between younger Edward to his more frail self in later years is quite interesting to take in.
Choreographer Andrea Campbell, working in clear collaboration with director Aaron Gray, makes masterful use of The Keeton’s intimate stage. With a cast of twenty, filling the space without overwhelming it is no small feat, yet the production never once feels crowded. Instead, it feels alive. From kick lines to tap and everything in between, the variety of choreography reflects the musical’s tonal shifts while showcasing the ensemble’s versatility. One can only imagine the rigor of rehearsals required to master such range within spatial constraints, and the ensemble rises to the challenge with precision and enthusiasm. Director Gray deserves equal praise for staging that maximizes every inch of the performance area, creating dynamic stage pictures that feel expansive, an appropriate nod to the story’s 2003 cinematic retelling courtesy Tim Burton‘s film adaptation, despite the venue’s modest footprint.
Jacob Hinnen as Edward’s adult son, delivers a fully believable, emotionally grounded portrayal of Will Bloom. Hinnen never pushes for sympathy; instead, he allows Will’s frustration and skepticism to emerge organically. The result is authenticity. As Will prepares to become a father himself, the shift in perspective is subtle yet powerful. You believe him — every step of the way.
RAPID FIRE WITH MICHAEL WALLEY, EDWARD BLOOM IN BIG FISH
RAPID FIRE WITH CLAIRE YANCEY, SANDRA BLOOM IN BIG FISH
RAPID FIRE WITH JACOB HINNEN, WILL BLOOM IN BIG FISH
RAPID FIRE WITH AARON GRAY, DIRECTOR OF BIG FISH
RAPID FIRE WITH JIANA KEVILUS, AMALIA IN SHE LOVES ME
RAPID FIRE WITH TOMMY ANGLIM, KODALY IN SHE LOVES ME
RAPID FIRE WITH KIMBERLY WOLFF, ILONA IN SHE LOVES ME
RAPID FIRE WITH SHE LOVES ME DIRECTOR, MORGAN ROBERTSON