Presented by New Scenario Entertainment at Theatre 80, 80 St. Mark's Place, NYC, July 15-Aug. 3.
Oh, the burden of being beautiful in today's society! This is the stated theme of this intermissionless, 80-minute entertainment—with a split personality—conceived and directed by Brian Howie. Twelve remarkably attractive women, plus an alternating "CenterPIECE" participant, deliver monologues that they have written themselves, based on personal experiences. This individual baring of soul about beauty's burden is often accompanied by the baring of more obvious physical attributes. Jennifer Elle Lewis sums it all up neatly as "the power of the pretty girl." Thus Megan Brown extols Scarlett O'Hara, while Samantha Ross is fixated on "The Thorn Birds" and penis size. Heidi Kristoffer propounds an engagement ring and condoms as self-protection, and Rachel Hollon advocates the spotlight and granny panties.
Serious issues are flirted with twice. Diahnna Nicole Baxter deals with racism: "You're pretty for a black woman"; and Tami Mansfield reports boyfriend rape and abortion. Both times, however, there is no real examination, as if such murky waters would mar the entertainment. There is some substance in Leigh Elliott's "I grew into my looks" monologue and, amid the general climate of crude self-absorption, Laurel Pinson's paean to early-morning beauty is nicely refreshing. But it is the more grounded humorous monologues that work best: Sara Rae Gore as "a recovering beauty pageant junkie," Ashley Palmer auditioning for an edgy remake of "The Sound of Music," and Megan Tropea examining the grammatical implications of the word "fuckable."
Surprisingly, considering the show's professed freedom of expression—and the language is very free—nothing much gets said. The monologues often have a slick sameness, and in the show's schizophrenic conflict of substance over shadow, the smirking shadows win hands down. Amid hip trappings, there clearly lurks an old-fashioned attempt to titillate—with the accent on the first syllable. While this might raise some male consciousness, it will simultaneously raise feminist blood pressure.