Review: 'Always A Bridesmaid' at Seven Angels

Dedicated to Prof. Ruth M. Sasso, a theatre angel

Waterbury, CT - Seven Angels Theatre opened a cheerful production of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID on Saturday evening and the matinee on Sunday will be when it closes, at least for now. The theatre in Waterbury is postponing the last three weeks of the production and at this point is planning on remounting it starting on April 16. Check the 7A website for updates.

ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID is a jones hope wooten comedy and it is both funny and heartwarming. It moves along at a brisk pace and answers the question of “Just how far are you willing to go to keep a promise to a friend?”

Julia Kiley of West Hartford, who was the director of ACHES AND PAINS and the GEORGE AND GRACIE productions at 7A, directed the women in this small cast with a clear eye to the comedy and the relationships of the four Southern bridesmaids who have been friends since their school years. I loved the scene highlighted by a game of “bridesmaid’s revenge,” but all of the sight gags based in the costuming hit the mark. The Waterbury audience all smiled at the fact that one of the four friends was referred to a “foreign exchange student” when she transferred to the state of Connecticut.

Moira O’Sullivan, an Equity Membership Candidate who is an actor and comedian, was the first of the cast to appear on the stage in the role of the bride Kari Ames-Bissette, the daughter of Libby Ruth Ames. The latter was brought to life by Equity actress Valerie Stock Dodge in her Seven Angels debut. Ms. Dodge grew up in Stamford, CT and is currently a New Jersey resident. Her hopelessly romantic Libby Ruth always seems to be doing her best to keep the weddings in motion and Ms. Dodge made us love her from the first line.

Stacey Harris, an Equity actress, played the sultry Monette, who does not want to admit that she is the same age as her best friends. Ms. Harris appeared in BELLS ARE RINGING on Broadway and was in the national tours of CINDERELLA and DREAMGIRLS. Amanda Bruton was a delight in the role of Charlie Collins. Ms. Bruton played the role of Grandma Addams in the international tour of THE ADDAMS FAMILY and has also appeared in THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL on Amazon.

Equity member Anette Michelle Sanders played very well the role of Deedra, the judge originally from CT. Ms. Sanders notes in her bio that she has appeared in shows from Shakespeare to Sim to Sondheim and that she is a Los Angeles transplant in her tenth year living in NYC, so she still thinks snow is magical.

Rounding out the cast was the delightful Joyce Jeffrey, the proud mother of Marissa Follo Perry, in the role of the venue owner Sedalia. As predicted by one of her castmates during an interview with Tom Chute on 1320AM WATR, her performance was indeed terrifyingly funny. Ms. Jeffrey returns to the 7A stage where she has performed for over 29 years in both Main Stage and Stage 2 productions; back in 1960, this talented actress began her theatrical career on 7A stage next to Semina De Laurtentis, now the Artistic Director at Seven Angels. Ms De Laurentis arrived for her curtain speech bearing a package of Angel Soft toilet tissue.

“To rest is to rust!” - Joyce Jeffrey’s motto

The scenic design by Kimberly Jackson was that of the dressing rooms at an elegant wedding venue. Lighting by Scott Cally included a thunderstorm for one of the weddings. Sound design by Matt Martin was effective as always and included some well-chosen wedding reception numbers. The costume design by Jack Richards was at times whimsical and always flattering to the actors. Katrina Paul was in charge of all things technical with Tesia Childs at the stage manager.

The opening night performance was attended by patrons who sat at a discreet social distance and enjoyed laughing through the two acts as they took their minds off the reason why they did so. It was a little ironic that the first wedding featured a character with a cold that the bride is afraid she will catch and miss her honeymoon.

I recommend catching a performance of this fun play if/when it returns to the stage of Seven Angels. We all need to laugh and become engrossed in some comedy for a couple of hours.

Nancy Sasso Janis, writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, posts well over 100 reviews each year. In 2016, her membership in the Connecticut Critics Circle began and her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted not only in the Naugatuck Patch but also on the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the NEW CCC Facebook page.

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