New Stage Collective: The Book of Liz by the Talent Family
Mix the talents of one of America’s finest humorists (actually, an expatriate living in France) with his wacky clown of a sister, add a cheese ball and a Mister Peanut costume and you have the makings of “The Book of Liz,” opening next week at Gabriel’s Corner in a New Stage Collective production.
The script is by Amy Sedaris, star of the HBO series “Strangers with Candy” and David Sedaris, author of “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” and frequent NPR commentator. The story concerns Sister Elizabeth Donderstock, a member of the who is Squeamish faith who makes cheese balls (traditional and smoky) that sustain her entire religious community of Clusterhaven.
But when Sister Elizabeth feels unappreciated among her Squeamish brethren, she decides to try her luck in the outside world.
“It’s a picaresque journey play as Sister Elizabeth encounters all these strange characters and tries to take their advice back home,” said director Alan Patrick Kenny. “Hers is a struggle we can all identify with.
“It has that ‘Strangers With Candy’ spoofy style of humor, but there’s also an immense amount of heart. I don’t like ridiculous for the sake of ridiculous, but this is also a celebration of the human spirit.”
It’s also a chance for four comic actors to stretch their chops. Jennifer Owen plays the Squeamish woman with a sweating problem while Adam Standley, Lindsey Valitchka and Dan Davidson play a variety of other characters. All four actors were recently featured in the NSC production of “The Full Monty.”
how to go
THE NAME: “The Book of Liz” by David Sedaris and Amy Sedaris.
THE LOCATION: Gabriel’s Corner, 1425 Sycamore St., Over the Rhine, Cincinnati.
THE HOURS: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 3-26.
THE TAB: $15 adults; $8 students.
THE PHONE: (513) 826-2060; www.newstagecollective.com
A version of this story originally appeared in Go!, the arts/entertainment supplement to the JournalNews, Hamilton, Ohio.
