Audience praises ‘The Viewing Room’
They were rolling with laughter in the aisles at the opening show of “The Viewing Room” at Willits Community Theatre over the July 4 holiday weekend. After a year-long hiatus, the alley playhouse returned to live entertainment on Friday evening with a raucous soldout show for a local motorcycle club. “They were on the floor laughing, it was so crazy our first night back,” said actor Jeff Shipp, who plays the son of a dead man who comes back to life in the mortuary comedy. “It’s like everyone needed to feel relieved and enjoy themselves.”
Saturday’s show was also sold out, with half the seats filled per Covid protocols, while the laughs kept coming. The clever play by Mark Smith centers on Chester Dumbrosky, played by WCT veteran Steve Marston rising up from his coffin to proclaim his need to make amends with his family. Directed by Mathew Caine, the play succeeds on a seamless series of one-liners and deadpan gags with the family members desperate to make sense of their despised patriarch’s revival. Ultimately the play delivers in a heartfelt way.
Also starring in the show are Aris Vellis, Kelly Kesey, Rod Grainger, Robert Ford, Lisa Wilcox and Kathy Vellis. Veteran actress Vellis in her role as the aggrieved widow Florence came in for special praise from two audience members.
At the Saturday performance Stephanie Garrabrant-sierra
of Willits and her companion Rob particularly enjoyed Vellis for her professional delivery of one-liners, among them, calling her husband “immoral” when she meant “immortal.” “She’s the closest thing I’ve seen to a performance on TV, she’s so professional,” said Rob.
Palo Alto residents Patty and Paul Sakuma took delight in the show. Patty said, ““It’s wonderful, the whole setup, the casket and stained glass, and the funeral director at the door giving out his card. It was realistic and fun.” Paul agreed, saying it was particularly entertaining with the show making such good comedy out of a funeral setting.
Ridgewood Ranch resident Serena Jones was thankful for the chance just to be out, taking in live theater. “It’s like we’re having an almost normal life again and the show’s good.”
Performances of “The Viewing Room” will continue through July18, with Thursday shows at 7:30 p.m. for $15, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. for $20, and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. for $15. Tickets are available online at the theater website: www. wctperformingartscenter. org. The WCT Playhouse is located at 37 W. Van Lane (behind Shanachie pub). For all but two shows, patrons will be required to show their vaccination cards or phone photos of same at the door. For the Friday July 9 and July 16 shows, vaccination certificates will not be required and instead social distancing will be in place, with a maximum cap of 15 seats for each show.