Gaslight Baker Theater - Sirens

Love on the Rocks…with a Twist
Tale of Love and Romance on the High “C’s”
Sirens – Review
By Toni Cheshire

Sirens, the latest Gaslight-Baker Production by playwright, Deborah Zoe Laufer,  flawlessly o weaves the comedic tale of a middle age couple trying to recapture moments that made their hearts race with modern technology, social media and mythology into a tightly, entertaining play.  Lori Cordova,  Sirens' director,  has a unique eye for quirky stories ( Who's on First and Fruitcakes) and wonderful vision for  mining the comedic and touching moments from her actors. And her creative set  is fun and fanciful, complete with an island! The audience will find that they are in for a treat as they settle back and watch as Rose (Ellen Massey recently seen in The Red Velvet Cake War) and Sam (Donald Owen of  Lend Me a Tenor) try to revive a long term marriage that has become stagnant and predictable.  Rose has determined that taking an anniversary cruise will be the very thing they need.  Though Sam may want to rekindle the marriage, it appears that he is more interested in recapturing his musical muse.  He has not written a hit song since writing “Rose Adelle,” to woo Rose thirty-five years ago. 
Rose finds out that Sam has been using Facebook to search for an old flame (and a couple of new ones). Though Sam declares he is only searching for musical inspiration and Rose angrily wonders if  the marriage over.  They continue with  the planned cruise which does not go as Rose had hoped.  In response to questioning by Rose, Sam jumps ship...figuratively and literally in response to a Siren’s song that only he can hear and is convinced that is the melody for which he has been searching. He washes up on the island of Anthemusa and the Siren (Francine Olquin last seen in  Our Town) turns out to be a real one.  She’s witty, spunky and a little off center.  She’s also totally enamored with her ‘magic box’, a gift from the gods.  With Sam missing and presumably dead, Rose follows her own muse. She reconnects with the man she would have married if not for Sam and his dedicated song.   Richard (Stuart McGregor of Who's on First) is a self-absorbed, single minded lothario who appears to have been frozen in a time from the past.  At least, it appears that way through Rose’s eyes. 
The conclusion of this play is uplifting and touching as Sam and Rose find their ways back to each other. As many of us know, as we as individuals age and grow so do marriage and love change and morph. This is a timeless story about the search for things that were not really lost, only misplaced and forgotten.
This is a delightful comedy.  The cast members turn in flawless performances and have wonderful chemistry with each other.. Under the layers of laughter, the play also produces some good food for thought and conversation.  Sirens opens Friday,  March 8 and runs Fridays and Saturdays through March 23 with 2 pm Matinees on Sunday, March 17 and Saturday, March 23.  The GBT's “Sneak Peek, Pay What You Can” night is Thursday, March 7, at 8 pm.  I highly recommend this play so make a date with your favorite people and see it.