The Book of Liz Opens With Laughs and High Volume

It's not often you come across a play that can, in relatively short order, skewer Amish, Alcoholics Anonymous and arrogance but The Book of Liz does just that.

This goofy comedy,  the fourth play created by humorist David Sedaris and his sister, Amy, a comedy writer and performer, opened a run of eight performances Friday night at CSUN's Experimental Theater at the Valley Performing Arts Center. The cast tackled multiple roles with gusto--maybe a little too much gusto--but even a bit of overwrought acting couldn't stop most of the humor from shining through.

The Book of Liz, first performed in 2002, is a play packed with moral messages, such as the promotion of tolerance and compassion, as well as the notion that true happiness may be found in your own backyard. But the Sedaris siblings never get preachy, preferring instead to let their wacky brand of comedy do the talking.

At the heart of the play is Liz or, actually, Sister Elizabeth Donderstock (Jessie Bruno), a proud and lifelong member of the  Quaker-like Christian community of the Squamish. The sale of her tasty cheeseballs, both regular and smoky-flavored, has been providing the money to keept the group afloat.

Nonetheless, her essential contribution goes unrecognized and unappreciated. After  Reverend Tollhouse (Angelo Gonzales), the sanctimonious and judgmental religious leader, disparages her work and orders her to give her cheeseball recipe to newcomer Brother Nathaniel Brightbee (Robert "Bobby" Lebeda), Elizabeth decides to look for a better life on the outside.

At first, that takes the form of substituting for a Ukrainian immigrant in a Mr. Peanut costume on the side of a highway. Later, she hires on as a waitress at the Plymouth Crock Family Restaurant. At the restaurant, where nearly every employee is a recovering alcoholic, Elizabeth proves her value once again. She is offered a promotion to manager even as her old religious community, unable to duplicate the taste of her cheeseballs, prepares to sell off its meager possessions to make ends meet.

Granted, selling this story is not simple. But the play is loaded with funny lines as well as endless opportunities for physical comedy, too many of which escape director Doug Kaback. Though he keeps the action moving at a good pace, he stumbles in his effort to lay the foundation that makes the final scene with  Elizabeth and Reverend Tollhouse even marginally plausible.

Caeli Molina, so terrific as the Ukrainian in the Mr. Peanut suit, is far too shrill as disapproving Sister Constance Butterworth. Gonzales, as well, could coax more laughs by focusing less on the volume of his delivery and more on nuance and timing.

Bruno has a good command of Sister Elizabeth--we feel her frustration--though the character, as written, might be just a little more naive than is portrayed here.  Credit Matthew Sutphin, who plays oddball Brother Hesikiah and restaurant manager Duncan Trask, with the most astute combination of physicality and comic timing.

Also adding to the performance were the costumes by Michelle Neumann and a scene design by Caitlin Lainoff that was engineered for a quick and authentic transformation in a tight space.

Additional performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday and on May 1, 2, 3 and 4 and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday and on May 5. General tickets are $20; seniors are $17; students with ID are $15.