Piedmont Oakland Rep - stands out with 'What I Did Last Summer'

The setting is 1945 a high end vacation community on the shores of Lake Erie,  during the final weeks of World War II. Charlie, a typical board 14 year old, is summering with his mother and sister while his dad is in the Pacific.  The boy intended to spend the summer bumming and socializing with his friends, yet the need for spending money forces him to take a job as handyman for a bohemian art teacher, Anna Trumbull, a former member of the "upper crust" who has lost her fortune and her regard for the ideals of her upbringing. Sensing a spirit in Charlie, she tries to open his mind by teaching him painting and sculpture and exposing him to "radical" ideas about life and love. The result is a family crisis and a showdown between Anna and Charlie's conservative mother, a clash of families which raises as many questions as it answers and, in the end, stimulates a coming of age which will shape the man Charlie is destined to become.

The play, written by A.R. Gurney and directed by PORT founding producer John A McMullen is well staged an adventurous.

Cameron Dodd is an impressive young actor, playing Charlie he is convincing as the angst teenager trying to figure out what’s what, and dealing with his absent a father figure.

A favorite on stage is young Bonny, played by Rosie Fry, is a pro on stage and its good to see her back in the bay area since returning from LA. Opposite her is the talented Nathan Zabala, as young Ted. Nate is a YMTC recruit and has great future on stage.

Susannah Wood is a company regular is cast as Anna, and is enduring in the role of this pipe piper. Alison Whismore gave the best performances as Grace respectively. The daughter Elsie is played by Melanie Marshall who starts out the first act whining like a modern california teenage not a teen from 1945, but as the first act warms up she gets more convincing as a 40’s cranky teen. PORT company member Bertt Mermer plays the older Charlie.

“What I Did Last Summer” would make the perfect pre holiday play and PORT is bringing professional theatre to Piedmont Ca and clearly set to make a statement in Bay Area Theatre - with a excellent company and an up an coming black box space in the heart of Piedmont quaint shopping district.

PORTs “What I Did Last Summer” runs through, Dec 13th. with shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 230 & 7pm on Sundays. Tickets are $22 advanced admission and $25 at the door. www.PORT4137.info