“Life should mean something,” says the character of Amy in one of her last lines. EAT (It’s Not About Food), presented by the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory Professional Theater Wing (FPAC), gives a hard look into what food struggles can do to a person’s life and their outlook on it.
The story follows everyday people: a waitress, grade school girls, high school wrestlers, moms, a former ballerina, etc. Director Fred Sternfeld does a great job in creating familiarity on the stage- each audience member should walk out feeling like they know someone in real life similar to one of the characters on the stage. From the woman who knows the exact calorie count of a grande non-fat, whip, sugar free vanilla dolce latte from Starbucks, to the little girls looking at a 17 Magazine, each character represents someone real- someone who could be in anyone’s life.
Amy Pawlukiewicz plays a number of roles that serve as a kind of guide or narrator through the show. She provides information and interludes with confidence and poise, stringing together different parts of the show.
Hawken School sophomore Alexis Floyd is a powerful “Amy”. Her journey through the rollercoaster of anorexia is poignant, stunning and hits at the heart of what Eat… is all about – eating choices and the struggle with those choices.
Nina Dominigue and Doug Kusak do a great job as Amy’s parents. Their own passage with Amy through her problem shows a metamorphosis in their understanding of her disease and in themselves as parents.
The entire ensemble works well together. As a whole, all of the actors do a wonderful job, providing a serious impact on the audience members. This show will hit you in the heart and make you think.
FPAC has an enormous opportunity with this theatrical social vehicle. This show is set up to tour through local schools and go into work places to help educate the public on eating choices. Paired with each performance, is a post-show talk-back facilitated by local health professionals. These discussion leaders will chat with the audience about eating disorder concerns and questions that come with the show. This theater/social outreach is new and forward-thinking for FPAC, and kudos are given to their efforts in bringing topics like this one to light.
EAT (It’s Not About Food) runs through May 2, 2010 at the Mayfield Village Civic Center.
For complete biographies of the cast, go to this link: http://www.fredsternfeld.com/eat.htm
For reservations to this CLEVELAND PREMIER, call the Eat… ticket hotline at 440-782-4087.
Adults $15, Seniors/Students $12, Children $10 (Group rates are available).
.jpg)
###
Do you have a performing arts related story or event for us? Contact KATE MILLER at KateMillerExaminer@yahoo.com.
Comments