By Bill Hirschman
No question, Plays of Wilton’s production of Museum will never be confused with Great Theater. But that’s not it’s aim. It just wants to have fun.
And driven by a high-voltage and high-volume community of energized performers, this wicked satire of self-enthused art enthusiasts is a jovial and broad evening.
Yes, it goes on way too long even at 95 minutes because it really has one point to make and it hammers it over and over until you want to gently tap their shoulders and say, “Yes, I get it. I got it.”
But this was one of acclaimed playwright Tina Howe’s earliest works, long before she penned The Art of Dining, Painting Churches and Coastal Disturbances. Having died in 2023, we can’t ask her to trim it down.
You can’t really fault the cast of 29 actors who pour their enthusiasm and their unrestrained vocal chords into portraying a 40-member array of museum guards, artists and aficionados on the last day of an exhibit. Granted, much of the talent and skill is spread across the ability level, from veterans to first-timers. One company member characterized the production as “community” in multiple senses.
Notably here, Plays of Wilton has embraced the concept of “event theater” by opening an hour before curtain to let anyone and everyone paint their own artwork that will later be displayed on the museum set as a crucial part of the play.
The audience-provided art, of course, ranges from indecipherable slashes made in a few seconds to what looks like something a five-year-old would paint to a couple of remarkably half-decent works. Only one painting is provided by the theater for the play: a blank white canvas (stolen from the play Art?) that, of course, is the subject of endless debate and observations.
The evening is produced at Arts United, an actual storefront gallery with actual art, across the street from Plays of Wilton’s home at The Foundry.
Not that it matters, but the premise is a group art show of three contemporary artists, titled The Broken Silence. The passing parade of folks are fixated by the news that someone fired 18 bullets at a Botticelli nude at another museum.
Of course, most of them are in love with the appearance of being in love with art, in love with their projected love of art rather than the art itself. They blather and jabber in self-indulgent navel-gazing with utter nonsense, showing off the terms they have read somewhere. They range from self-appointed influencers to a trench-coated guy who flashes the paintings and is armed with a red spray can.
Again, a bow to the assortedly capable but completely committed actors who are always audible a block away: Don Bearden, Jill Bellak, Brian Bloomer, Grant Brecheisen, Leonardo Buceti, Adam Clinard, Joseph “Swizzy” Colón, Lesley Daunt, Cav Dettman, Victoria Eaton, Eric Fields, George Frosland, Michael Gillespie, Xoey Goldberg, Ashley Gomez, Myra Graves, Monika Harker, Sara Lee, Jocelyn Lombardo, Greggy Palmer, Angela Piraino, John Provasnik, Richard Schwartz, Laurie Tanner, McKenzie Tice, Elena Vasyur, Emily Velez, Brett Watts, Michael Williams and Michael Wright
The proper tone is set from the first moment of audience participation at the painting tables by director Ronnie Larsen who greets the crowd with a spontaneity of wry quips for the hour before the play.
Museum from Plays by Wilton plays through Feb. 1 at Arts United, 2401 N Dixie Hwy, Wilton Manors (across from The Foundry). Performances Thursday-Saturday at 9 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. But the draw-your-own-art social begins one hour earlier. Running time 1 hour 15 minutes. Tickets at PlaysOfWilton.com or RonnieLarsen.com
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