Theater -- Tom Titus

* EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a series of four columns

reviewing the year 2001 in local theater.

Local college theater reached for the stars in several different

directions during 2001, and on occasion this reach was equaled by the

grasp.

All three of the collegiate drama programs in the Daily Pilot’s

purview came up with some impressive productions and performances during

the year. While UC Irvine only returned to this newspaper’s fold in

midyear, the university scaled the summit insofar as performance quality

was concerned.

“Victor/Victoria,” directed by Eli Simon, was clearly the top

undergraduate show of the year, radiating professional quality in all

departments. Second place, however, is occupied by a two-character play

in the cramped confines of a studio theater -- Orange Coast College’s

“Oleanna,” staged by and co-starring student Martin Winslow.

Vanguard University’s musical “Quilters,” tracing the lives of pioneer

women and directed by Susan Berkompas, ranks third on the list, followed

by another Vanguard attraction, “Scapino,” an Italian farce under the

direction of Mitch Teemley. UCI’s powerful “Macbeth,” directed by Teresa

Pond, completes the top five.

Honorable mention goes to OCC’s “The Memory of Water” and “Epic

Proportions,” both directed by John Ferzacca; “Little Shop of Horrors” at

Vanguard, directed by Carey Smith; and “The Tempest” at OCC, directed by

Alex Golson.

As for individual acting honors, two students earned A+ grades for a

pair of searing dramatic portrayals. These would be Jeff Farkash in the

title role of “Macbeth” at UCI and Jessica Hutchinson as a demented

student in OCC’s “Oleanna.”

Rounding out the top five are Sunny Peabody as “Scapino” at Vanguard,

Sara Parry as Lady Macbeth in UCI’s “Macbeth” and Christopher Tillman as

the best of “A Few Good Men” at Vanguard.

Honorable mention is accorded to Martin Winslow for “Oleanna” and

James Grant for “The Tempest” at OCC; Matthew Grandpre and Rene Scheys,

both for “A Few Good Men” at Vanguard, Lisa Clayton, a show stealer in

“Victor/Victoria” at UCI and Rachael Maddalena for “Where Were You on

Your Ninth Birthday?” at Orange Coast.

College theater programs also played a major role in the selection of

the Daily Pilot’s 28th annual man and woman of the year in theater for

2001. These two names will be disclosed in Saturday’s installment of this

year-end theater roundup.

* TOM TITUS writes about and reviews local theater for the Daily

Pilot. His stories appear Thursdays and Saturdays.