Six Dance Lessons in Six
Weeks
Vintage Theatre: 3/14 – 5/3
L-R Dame Deborah Persoff & Preston Britton
L-R Dame Deborah Persoff & Preston Britton
“Six Dance Lessons in Six
Weeks” is a two-character play set in Florida.
Deborah Persoff portrays Lily
Harrison, a woman of a certain age who, widowed and lonely, wishes to experience
a more fulfilling life.
Preston Britton is Michael
Minnetti, a gay dance instructor with attitude who appears at her door after Lily
signs up for private lessons in her home.
What begins as a decidedly
incompatible relationship develops into a sometimes exuberant, sometimes
graceful pas de deux.
Whether the dance is a
romantic waltz or fast paced Hustle or Tango, Persoff and Britton move together
with fluidity and charm. This duet has chemistry to go!
Dame Persoff ‘s performance
is revelatory. This artist exhibits a range of emotion from antagonistic
disgust (contentious retaliation?) to animated joie de vivre to poignant self
deprecation.
Preston Britton’s hilarious
portrayal of this flip, out-spoken gay man engages and endears.
Their repartee is laced with
acerbic humor. At one point Lily says, ”If you say your age out loud your
face hears it?”
Christine Samar’s costume
design provides us with real visual contrast. The wardrobe created for Dame
Persoff is an array of dazzling gowns and ensembles while Mr. Britton’s outfits
are mostly hilarious.
Sharon Dwinnell, a professional dancer from New York, provides the varied choreography.
Ever the champion of
diversity in theatre it’s not surprising that director Craig Bond has chosen a
script that addresses such issues as ageism and homophobia. Bond’s astute
direction elicits performances that are as animated as his pacing is swift. His choice to have the scenes bridged visually by the cinematic expertise of Dan Rib's projections adds immeasurably to this evening of theatre.
The play is a heartfelt work
that speaks to the healing balm of friendship we all crave at every age.
Vintage Theatre
Productions
“Six Dance Lessons
in Six Weeks”
March 13 – May 3
A
widow, seeking to spice up her life, hires a young, private dance instructor.
Fri/Sat at 7:30
p.m.; Sun at 2:30 p.m.; Sat., May 2 at 2:30 p.m.
Vintage Theatre
Productions, 1468 Dayton Street, Aurora, CO 80010
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