Performance mania good for Las Vegas theater scene

It should be obvious to anyone with even a casual interest in local theater that the sheer number of shows has been climbing steadily in the past couple of years. Each new day seems to give birth to a troupe. Of course, the question is, how many will last? But even if they don't make it past a few productions, this performance mania -- this desire to get out and do it -- can only help make Vegas a more exciting place.

Due to a hectic schedule the past few weeks, I missed the opening of "The Bible: The Complete Word of God (Abridged)" at the tiny Las Vegas Little Theatre Studio. I didn't realize how lucky I'd be to catch it the final weekend. The co-producing organization calls itself Poor Richard's Players, and it shows signs of being capable of sticking around as long as it wants.

I admit I wasn't crazy about the material, done in the vaudeville style of "Shakespeare (Abridged)." That joke works only once. But the actors -- Kirstin Maki, Benjamin Loewy and particularly Maxim Lardent, who has a brooding, intense character actor's face -- seduced me into enjoying the routine writing. The delivery was so nonstop in-your-face (I can't recall a single pause), and Maki's singing voice was so surprisingly powerful, that I had a good time against my better judgment. And director Lysander Abadia's consistently frantic controlled pacing made it clear his artistic visions are worth paying attention to. I have a feeling Poor Richard's Players has some good days ahead. ...

This column usually addresses the people behind the footlights, but the July 5 passing due to natural causes of a habitual audience member was strongly felt throughout the theater community. When you saw Ray Okonski, 82, at a play, you could be certain his wife, Helen, was performing. He attended every one of her shows. He was no thespian, but he was aglow in admiration whenever he talked to me about his wife's talents and enthusiasm. At a well-attended July 19 service at Christ the King, speakers noted Ray's never-ending optimism and his determination -- even days before his death -- to be a part of Helen's world.

If you're thinking about buying a subscription to the Las Vegas Little Theatre's upcoming season, but can't quite decide, you might want to attend a free season preview at 8 p.m. Aug. 6 and 2 p.m. Aug. 7. Actors will read snippets from all the shows on the schedule: "No Sex Please, We're British"; "The Man Who Came to Dinner"; "Sylvia"; "Jewtopia"; "Blithe Spirit"; "The 39 Steps"; "Neighborhood 3: The Requisition of Doom"; "Dead Man's Cell Phone"; "Measure for Pleasure"; and "Yankee Tavern."

Season subscriptions will be available (lvlt.org).

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at vegastheaterchat@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.