LSUS to stage ‘The Waiting Room’ 09/17/02

“The Waiting Room,” a dark comedy about the price women have paid through the centuries for their beauty, will be staged by the LSUS Communications Department and performed six times in the LSUS University Center Theater between Sept. 20 and 28.

Directed by Mary G. “Jorji” Jarzabek, an LSUS Communications Department instructor, the play by Lisa Loomer features LSUS students in three of the four main roles.

The lead role of Wanda is played by LSUS speech pathology major Shante’ Caldwell, a senior who’s making her Shreveport stage debut. The character of Victoria is played by veteran actress Reagan Cassanova, and LSUS mass communications major Monica Burton, who is also making her Shreveport theatre debut, plays the character, Forgiveness From Heaven. The key supporting female role of Brenda is played by Andria Flournoy,. an LSUS mass communications major.

Jarzabek said the play, which emphasizes “the need for all of us to be more concerned with who we are ‘underneath it all,’” is part of the Communications Department’s continuing effort to bring stage plays back to LSUS. The production is partially funded by a grant from the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 20, 21, 27, and 28, at 7 p.m. and Sundays, Sept. 22 and 29, at 3 p.m. Adult tickets are $10. Tickets for college and high school students, LSUS faculty and staff, senior citizens, and military $5. Tickets are available at the LSUS bookstore, and will also be available at the door. Reservations can be made by calling 797-5318.

‘The Waiting Room’ spans three centuries

The LSUS Communications Department’s production of Lisa Loomer’s “The Waiting Room,” directed by Mary G. “Jorji” Jarzabek, an LSUS Communications Department instructor, is partially funded by a grant from the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

“The Waiting Room” is a dark comedy about the price women have paid for beauty. Three women from different centuries meet in a modern day doctor’s office. Forgiveness From Heaven is an 18th century Chinese woman suffering the crippling effects of foot-binding. Victoria is a 19th century, tightly corseted English woman being treated for “hysteria.” Wanda is the modern gal from New Jersey who is having problems with her breast implants. Husbands, doctors, Sigmund Freud, the drug industry and the FDA all come under examination. The play is a wild ride through medical and sexual politics, including the politics of the ever-present battle with breast cancer.

The lead role of Wanda is played by LSUS speech pathology major, Shante’ Caldwell, a senior making her Shreveport stage debut. She has been active on the LSUS Debate Team for three years. The character of Victoria is played by veteran actress Reagan Cassanova, whose recent stage credits include East Bank Theater roles as Gloria in “Everybody Loves Opal” and as Holly in “Foxfire.” LSUS mass communications major Monica Burton, who is also making her Shreveport theater debut, plays Forgiveness From Heaven.

The key supporting female role of Brenda is played by Andria Flournoy. Brenda is a sage, albeit stern, nurse who sees the women in the play, empathizes with their suffering and offers advise along the way. Flournoy is an LSUS Mass Communications major. LSUS sociology major Stacey Bass plays the dual roles of Bridget, the Irish maid, and Cerise, the sexy French secretary. Both Flournoy and Bass are making their Shreveport acting debuts in this production.

Male support characters include Dr. Douglas McCaskill, the concerned medico who feels frustrated at every turn in treating his patients; Oliver, Victoria’s sexist husband, a 19th century doctor; Larry, the wheeling and dealing representative of the pharmaceutical industry; Ken, an administrator with the FDA; and, Blessing From Heaven, Forgiveness From Heaven’s husband.

Eugene Crook portrays Douglas’ role. Crook played Jaques in “As You Like It” at East Bank this year and has been working on set decoration and construction for the current LSUS production. Oliver is ably presented by Shreveport native Don McCoy, who has performed in New York and Los Angeles. His recent local credits include the lead role of Peter Hunter in the Shreveport Little Theatre production of “No Sex Please, We’re British.” Charles Montgomery returns to the LSUS stage in the role of Larry. He had the male lead of Walter Younger in the LSUS production of “Raisin in the Sun.” He also played the dual roles of Amos and Carter in the most recent LSUS production, “Summers in Suffolk.”

LSUS student Danny Rogers, who appeared in PAC’s presentation of Godspell, plays the character of Ken, and Nicholas Chiatrano, an LSUS student making his acting debut, portrays Blessing From Heaven.

Set designer/technical director for “The Waiting Room” is Mollie Schmeltzer, who recently joined the LSUS staff as technical services coordinator for the University Theater. Sound/audio effects are coordinated by LSUS journalism major Chris Alexander. LSUS students Kim Lewis and Stephanie Culbreath are assisting with costumes, make-up and lighting.

The production is scheduled for Sept. 20, 21, 28, 29 at 7 p.m. and Sept. 22 and 29 at 3 p.m. in the University Center Theater. Adult tickets are $10. Students (all colleges and high schools), faculty/staff, seniors, and military tickets are $5. Tickets are available at the LSUS bookstore and at the door. For more information call Jarzabek at 797-5318.