“The Man Who Came to Dinner”—Classic Comedy Comes to
Coronado!
By Kristen Fogle
Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman’s “The Man Who Came to
Dinner” dishes up lots of laughs at the Coronado Playhouse, featuring local
favorite Phil Johnson, along with 21 other talented cast members.
With so many persons populating the stage so often, one
would think that “Man” would amass too many plot points for your average
audience, however, “Man” is delightfully simple: Upon accepting a dinner
invitation to the Stanley family’s home in Ohio, radio personality Sheridan
Whiteside has suffered an accident that has rendered him to a wheelchair—and
consequently made Whiteside a “prisoner “inside the Stanley household. (Really
though, with a long list of demands, an outrageous entourage, and a blasphemous
temper, Whiteside is the one holding everyone else hostage!) When a journalist
(and budding playwright) comes to interview him and holds Whiteside’s
right-hand-girl Maggie captive, Whiteside invites a conniving, part-hungry
actress into the mix to separate the pair.
Ruff Yeager, who has directed all around town—for
Playwrights Project, Scripps Ranch, Compass, Diversionary—tackles this lengthy
comedy (three hours with two intermissions) expertly. Yeager makes a memorable
appearance in the show as well and blends well with other notable cast members,
including Phil Johnson as Sheridan Whiteside (a talent, he has, for wielding
the perfectly written insult), Kim Straussburger as the
secretary-to-Sheridan-to-be-reckoned with Maggie Cutler, and the dynamic,
incredibly talented Frances Anita Rivera who played self obsession skillfully
and humorously as actress Loraine Sheldon.
A first timer to Coronado Playhouse, I’ve heard mixed
reviews regarding production value at this venue; “The Man Who Came to Dinner”
is of top quality, however. The mint and salmon colored set is delightfully
period appropriate, the blocking well rehearsed and entirely logical, and the
audience seemed enraptured—chucking and clapping their way through the entire
time. Come for a brunch and take in the gorgeous bay, which the Playhouse has
unobstructed views of. I adamantly recommend the current production, but also
stay tuned for the next: Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is up next August
31-Septmber 23.
“The Man Who Came to
Dinner”
6/29-8/5
Coronado Playhouse
1835 Strand Way,
Coronado
619-435-4856
www.coronadoplayhouse.com
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