arts

BROADWAY AND BETTER

BY: PERRY TANNENBAUM

Theatre Critic

OVER THE PAST 21 YEARS, I can point to a handful of local theater productions that totally eclipsed their Broadway counterparts. Charlotte Rep's productions of Noises Off and Angels in America: Part 1 are in that special circle of presentations that had a surer grasp of the playwright's intent and inspiration than the versions I saw in New York. More recently, the Actor's Theatre version of I Am My Own Wife starring Scott Ripley.

Now with a smartly managed production of Douglas Carter Beane's The Little Dog Laughed, another title climbs onto my short list. Director Dennis Delamar -- he also steered Ripley in My Own Wife -- takes us beyond the slick comedy veneer of the Broadway version so that we care whether lesbian Hollywood agent Diane closes her movie deal. That helps us stay invested with Diane's gay client Mitchell and his efforts to find happiness in or out of the closet.

Yes, I'm saying Kim Cozort gives more dimension to Diane than Julie White's sharp, wildly praised portrayal on Broadway -- without sacrificing any of the comedy. On the contrary, by the time I saw White, she seemed to be on cruise control, far exceeding the speed limit on line delivery while emotionally across the bridge in Jersey. After revealing her sexual preferences, White never acted upon them.

Delamar makes sure Cozort doesn't neglect that delicate point during the climactic confrontation where Diane shows her manipulative mettle. Here's the tangle: Mitch has met a high-dollar callboy whom, he slowly realizes, he'd like to have a relationship with. Even if it means coming out of the closet.

As it happens, the hireling has some sexual uncertainties of his own. Until meeting Mitch, Alex has only done men for the money, and he's living semi-intimately with Ellen. So there are complications and jealousies among the four characters that intricately straddle their professional and personal lives.

Two-time CL Actor of the Year Brian Robinson is certainly exploring fresh frontiers as this gay Left Coast hunk and conquers Mitch on charm -- and intensity where required. The real finds here are Ian Bond as Alex and Glynnis O'Donoghue as Ellen, both out of the Davidson College theater program. O'Donoghue's comedy bravura, in particular, brings Ellen to the forefront. On Broadway, she receded to the background as troublesome baggage. You'll like her -- almost as much as Diane does.