Into the Breeches and Power & Light playing in rep at Theatre Forty in Beverly Hills

By Shari Barrett

Set during World War II in Los Angeles, Into the Breeches takes place at the Oberon Playhouse when the venue’s director and leading men are off at war with the Axis. Determined to press on and keep the theater running, the director’s wife, Maggie Dalton (Caroline Westheimer) sets out to produce an all-female version of Shakespeare’s Henriad, a four-hour compilation of all his Henry plays. Facing major challenges from Board member Ellsworth Snow (David Datz), Maggie persists and wins him over despite him believing the production will be a real “tomato” and sink the theater for good. 

With only one professional actor from the company available to take on a part (the filled-with-her-own-importance Celeste Fielding played will great flair by Maria Brodeur) who insists only she can play the lead, Maggie sets out to recruit as many other women as she can to take on the other 32 roles. As she assembles a cast of untrained actors, along with her male stage manager Stuart Lasker (Kevin Dulude who shines when he dresses as a woman to become a member of the Henriad cast), and the company’s costumer Ida Creen (Nakasha Norwood who proves she can step out from backstage into the spotlight as a talented Black actor when American troops fighting for our country were segregated). Maggie manages to unite the women, both in their worrying about their husbands fighting overseas as well as increasing their desire to collaborate and succeed together since the show must go on!

Other actors include the mild-mannered Grace Richards (Holly Sidell, whose backbone is revealed as soon as she dons a soldier’s costume), trophy wife Winifred Snow (Jean Mackie whose physical comedy attributes earned lots of laughter, especially when attempting to “walk like a man”), and younger June Bennett (Tricia Cruz) who shows up on a bicycle to audition and earns the role of the ingenue, the only female character in the 4-hour marathon.

Director Louis Fantasia makes the most of every laughable situation in George Brant’s overly-long play, which could be shortened into a 90-minute one act by cutting a lot of unnecessary exposition and getting right to the process of rehearsing, the most comical and entertaining part of Into the Breeches. Beautifully designed, tailored costumes by Michael Mullen add to the realism of the1942 timeframe, with set design by Jeff G. Rack. sound design by Nick Foran, and lighting design by Derrick McDaniel.

Power & Light, a world premiere play written by John Strysik and directed by scenic designer extraordinaire Jeff G. Rack, is based on the story of Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla and how the battle for the development of electricity between these two great minds created sparks of tension as they illuminated the world. The fascinating and heartbreaking history of the inventors who propelled us into the technological age, and the women who encouraged them in an era of ascendant capitalism, addresses how the money men behind the inventors really assisted in guiding us into the world of wireless technology we take for granted today. 

We first meet Thomas Edison portrayed by David Hunt Stafford as a wealthy, self-centered egotistical inventor who went on to steal Tesla’s ideas and made a fortune for himself, while reneging on promised financial bonuses to his young, forward-thinking apprentice. And when faced with a moral dilemma after his direct current electricity on the streets of New York City killed innocent animals and the brutal reality of his manifested “electric chair” horrified the public, to save his reputation, Edison turned to Tesla and adapted the fledgling inventor’s alternating current into a viable means of delivering electricity before Tesla had the opportunity to do so on his own. 

The two men soon parted ways, with Tesla vowing to use the power of Niagara Falls to generate electricity for Chicago. But of course, he needed money to accomplish this monumental task, and turned to J.P. Morgan for financial backing. But just as Edison did, Morgan went behind Tesla’s back to turn his wireless electricity into a moneymaking business for himself – and Tesla was again left out in the cold when funds were cut off before the job he envisioned was completed by others. 

Eric Keitel is extraordinary as Tesla, the brilliant Serbian immigrant who arrives in America looking for a financial backer to help bring his idea about creating free wireless electricity for the masses to fruition. Keitel completely encompasses the man whose mind seemed to know no bounds when it came to inventing ideas to usher in the technological era that has taken the world by storm today, and never lets us forget the man behind the real power always knew he was smarter than everyone else. But he just lacked the money to make his own dreams come true.

Taking on roles as laboratory assistants, wives, and friends are Warren Davis, Bailey Castle as feminist Anne Morgan who knows the real power in the world comes from women, John Combs who brings Anne’s father J.P. Morgan into the mix, along with Mandy Fason, Richard Large, and Kurtis Bedford. Costumer Michael Mullen has again worked his magic and brought each of these character’s wardrobes authentically into place between the years of 1884-1943.  

Another star of the show is director and set designer Jeff G. Rack’s use of amazing projections designed by Gabrieal Griego which enhance every scene, especially when Tesla makes lightning and fire worthy of Dante erupt from his famous tower of power.  Other top notch technical credits include lighting design by Derrick McDaniel, sound design by Joseph “Sloe” Slawinski, and hair/wig/make-up design by Judi Lewin which enhanced Michael Mullen’s artistically beautiful costumes.

Both productions are produced by David Hunt Stafford, presented at Theatre Forty in the Mary Levin Cutler Theatre on the campus of Beverly Hills High School, 241 S, Moreno Drive, Beverly Hills 90212. Free parking is available in the parking lot adjacent to the theatre by entering through the driveway at the intersection of Durant and Moreno Drives. Both productions play on selected evenings at 7:30 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Visit https://theatre40.org/store/ for the full schedule, with tickets available for Power and Light through April 30; and Into the Breeches through April 27. Reservations are also available by calling (310) 364-0535, with available tickets sold at the onsite box office prior to each performance.