{"id":106244,"date":"2023-01-19T11:09:12","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T19:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=106244"},"modified":"2023-01-19T11:09:12","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T19:09:12","slug":"birthday-club-at-meadow-brook-theatre-rochester-hills-mi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/birthday-club-at-meadow-brook-theatre-rochester-hills-mi\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cBirthday Club\u201d at Meadow Brook Theatre, Rochester Hills MI"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

 <\/p>\n

Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle), and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle)<\/em><\/p>\n

Photos courtesy of <\/em>Sean Carter Photography<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Clockwise from left: Tamara PiLar (with glass), Lynnae Lehfeldt, Debbie Williams, Dani Cochrane, Sarah Kmiec<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cBirthday Club\u201d is Good, Raunchy Fun<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Continuing its 56th<\/sup> season, Meadow Brook Theatre, located on the campus of Oakland University, offers a delightful Michigan premiere, \u201cBirthday Club\u201d by Minnesota playwright, author and sports star Phil Olson<\/strong>. Several years ago, MBT staged another of Olson\u2019s works, \u201cMom\u2019s Gift\u201d, starring Cindy Williams<\/strong> (star of TV\u2019s \u201cLaVerne and Shirley\u201d) and one of the current \u201cBirthday Club\u201d cast, Dani Cochrane<\/strong>. Olson specializes in lightweight, slightly risqu\u00e9 but very entertaining comic shows, set mostly in the upper Midwest. They have yet to see the lights of Broadway, off-Broadway, or even off-off Broadway, but they are very popular with community theatre groups all over the US.<\/p>\n

The story takes place entirely in the home of small business owner Cheryl, one of five members of a club she and her friends created some years earlier to celebrate their birthdays and to support a dying friend – no men allowed. During each birthday celebration, the ladies really let their hair down and spend their time together dishing dirt, poking fun, complaining about menopause, their kids and the men in their lives, all the while drinking much, much too much. Besides Cheryl, there\u2019s the hugely pregnant Kathy who knows she shouldn\u2019t be drinking but does, anyway, for her own reasons. And Abbie, a homemaker married to a wealthy man, has too much time on her hands. Plus the slightly trashy and flirtatious Emily, looking for the ultimate \u201cbrown chicken brown cow\u201d experience, a source of a big part of the laughs onstage and in the audience. If you need to, look it up. You\u2019ll be surprised at the absolutely transcendent cultural significance of this phrase!<\/p>\n

The audience surrogate, if there is one, has to be club newbie Sarah, who\u2019s a cultural symbol all by herself as a member of the super-strict \u201cHeemish\u201d religion. According to Sarah, they\u2019re just like the Amish, except the Heemish use coasters. Sarah doesn\u2019t drink, cuss, gossip or even think about sex \u2013 even though she\u2019s engaged. The perfect setup for many moments of low-brow humor, lame jokes, and amazing plot twists. Through her, we learn about the other ladies, and of the touching origins of the Birthday Club – the friend who died and whose spirit presides over their gatherings like a cooling breeze.<\/p>\n

The cast, all MBT veterans, is nothing short of spectacular, with great timing and really strong characterizations, all vividly drawn in attitude and movement under the guidance of director Travis Walter<\/strong>. This worthy ensemble takes what could be mediocre material and transforms it into something special. In some ways, it\u2019s reminiscent of \u201cThe Women\u201d, Clare Booth Luce\u2019s Broadway smash and hit film from over 80 years ago, with an all-female cast who loved to dish and gossip.<\/p>\n

Lynnae Lehfeldt<\/strong> as Cheryl leads the way, skillfully balancing snark and sympathy. Sophisticated Abbie, the envy of her friends because she \u201cdoesn\u2019t have to work\u201d, is played with lively, likeable charm by Tamara PiLar<\/strong>. Dani Cochrane<\/strong> tackles the role of the expectant Kathy with just the right amount of tough, crusty bitterness, a nice contrast to Sara Kmiec\u2019s <\/strong>babe-in-the-woods innocent Sarah. She\u2019s goofy, na\u00efve but non-judgmental, always chirping and optimistic. Which, naturally, really irritates everybody. Debbie Williams<\/strong> plays mankiller Emily with sexy gusto, strutting her stuff at every opportunity, and soon has all of her friends up in arms.<\/p>\n

A really nice touch: At the beginning of each scene, the cast makes a flamboyant entrance (courtesy of choreographer Debbie Williams<\/strong>), one-by-one, dancing to various birthday-themed songs, each in character.<\/p>\n

The audience at a recent matinee performance included what looked like many groups of women, seated \u00a0together and all having a great time. If you\u2019re looking for laughs and raunchy fun, join the \u201cBirthday Club\u201d and bring some friends.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Now through February 5, 2023 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Tickets $37 to $46<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meadow Brook Theatre at Wilson Hall<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oakland University<\/strong><\/p>\n

378 Meadow Brook Rd<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rochester Hills, MI 48309<\/strong><\/p>\n

(248) 377-3300<\/strong><\/p>\n

www.mbtheatre.com<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

A special note: As Covid-19 is a constantly changing situation, MBT will be monitoring and adhering to the guidance given by the CDC, the State of Michigan, the Actor\u2019s Equity Association, and Oakland University. Check the Meadow Brook Theatre website at www.mbtheatre.com for the latest information on efforts to keep everyone safe.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This theater operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors\u2019 Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers of the United States. The theater operates under the agreement with the International Alliance of Theatre Stage employees, Local 38.<\/em><\/p>\n

Meadow Brook Theatre’s season is supported in part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Kresge Foundation, the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation, the Shubert Foundation and the Meadow Brook Theatre Guild.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Reviewed by Suzanne Angeo (member, American Theatre Critics Association; Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle), and Greg Angeo (Member Emeritus, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":4,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-106244","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-greg-suzanne-angeo"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"