By Nicole M. Robertson
Sometimes a second look at a friend can give a new perspective.
Purple Rose Theatre gives us a chance to do that by extending its run of “Diva Royale,” a silly, manic comedy about three friends who share a passion for the 1997 movie “Titanic” — and for Celine Dion, the Canadian diva who sang its love theme, “My Heart Will Go On.”
Small-town Michiganders and best friends Helen Millerbee, Lynnette Taylor-Tyler and Mary Catherine Carlton, moms of sixth-grade Middleton Mallards, dance and run circles around Purple Rose’s central stage, explaining how they ducked assault and battery charges during a hasty trip to see a “one-night-only performance” of their favorite singer in the Big Apple.
Their thrilling New York adventure doesn’t turn out as expected. It’s one disappointment after another. Yet, for one of the moms, her fantasy materializes brighter than anticipated. For another, it’s an opportunity to overcome mortal fear, while the third learns a lesson in cooperative empowerment.
With two alternating casts, Helen is played by Rhiannon Ragland of Flint and Caitlin Cavannaugh of Manchester; Mary Catherine is played by Kristin Shields of Ann Arbor and Meghan VanArsdalen of Ann Arbor; Lynette is played by Kate Thomsen of Portage and Caitlin Burt of Farmington. Rusty Mewha of Plymouth and Connor Allston of Clinton Township share the enviable role of “Generic Man,” which affords quick costume changes and opportunities to portray a thief, a cop, Jack Dawson from “Titanic” and more — including a most delightful surprise guest.
Depending which cast performs, you see slight differences in these zany characters. Like the way Allston, as a mounted cop, mimes riding a horse onto the stage — bow-legged, cowboy-style — in a moment of crisis for our intrepid moms. Mewha takes a more stick-horse approach (trot-skip trot-skip). And which actor is most over-the-top panicky while expressing a trauma — Ragland or Cavannaugh? You tell me.
The revival of this one-act 2018 play, written and directed by theater founder Jeff Daniels (assistant director Lucas Daniels), zips along with only imaginary props — an invisible ham plopped into the lap of an audience member, an addictive smartphone, a too-small hotel bed indicated by a rectangle of light on the floor. Generic Man’s various entrances, lighting, music cues and the ladies’ rapid-fire dialogue make clear where we are and what’s going on. Sort of.
But then again, if this is a tale they’re telling, are we sure how much of it’s “real”? Only your heart can tell.
• “Diva Royale,” written and directed by Jeff Daniels, runs through March 2 at Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea. Tickets begin at $30, with discounts for seniors, patrons 30 years or younger, members of the military, teachers and groups of 12 or more. Tickets available at www.purplerosetheatre.org, or 734-433-7673. “Diva Royale” contains adult situations and language.
MAIN PHOTO: Lynnette (Caitlin Burt, Farmington), Mary Catherine (Meghan VanArsdalen, Ann Arbor) and Helen (Caitlin Cavannaugh, Manchester) dance to Celine Dion music during the Purple Rose Theatre production of “Diva Royale.” The play runs through March 2 at the Chelsea theater.
