Directed by John Tillman
Scenic Design - Ellen Mizner
Costume and Prop Design - Dan Nolen, Jr.
Lighting Design - Robert Dennard
Sound Design - Jeff Mizner

CAST:

Robert Malone
Charles Poynter
Douglas Cunningham
Michael Speck
Larry Launders
Carter Frost
Jennifer Fortson
Jill Etheridge
Dan Nolen, Jr.

*REVIEWED 12-05-09 PERFORMANCE.

Reviewed by Mary L Clark, Associate Theatre Critic for
John Garcia's THE COLUMN

___________________DUCK HUNTER SHOOTS ANGEL____________________

"Oh, the weather outside (was) frightful . . . . " and I just did not want to
be out in it, heading to my assigned review. However, I very much wanted to see
a play written by Mitch Albom as I thoroughly enjoyed two of his novels,
Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Pulling on my
thermals, I bundled up in my coat, scarf and gloves and headed over to ONSTAGE
in Bedford. The play's title also intrigued me – Duck Hunter Shoots Angel.

ONSTAGE in Bedford resides in a small but cozy building in the middle of the
lovely Boys Ranch Park. They were selling popcorn, candy and sodas in the
lobby, just like at the movies (still cannot get used to refreshments in a live
theatre).

The theatre proper was a small proscenium with a very low ceiling. One is rather
close to the stage lighting hence the installed ceiling fans. We did not need
them, though, on that blustery night. The stage was level to the first row of
seats so we found ourselves smack in the middle of a foggy, moss-laden swamp
clearing. One big `ole gnarly tree rose up from the mud and out of our sight. A
backdrop of trees, ferns, grasses led further into the swamp and one large white
object was perched on a ledge – more on that later. The set reminded me of
Caddo Lake at the border of Texas and Louisiana but was actually representing a
part of Alabama.

Duck Hunter Shoots Angel was the headline from an east coast sensationalistic
rag called The Weekly World and Globe (though it comes out twice a week). One
of its reporters, Sandy, and photographer, Lenny, had been sent there to check
out claims that two hunters actually shot an angel. Seeking out a few facts for
yet another paper-selling yarn, the two found themselves knee deep in local
yokels and, surprisingly, in to the lives of these simple and loving people.

The two hunters were appropriately named Duane, as in "doo-wane" and his brother
Duwell. Because they feared eternal damnation for killing one of God's
messengers, they kept searching throughout the swamp in hopes of the angel's
survival. Adding a newspaper editor, a former girlfriend, a grocery store
clerk, and a half man/half beast and you had a recipe for comedy farce.

Reporter Sandy was being hounded by his editor back in New York to pay off the
hunters for exclusive rights. The search for an angel continued, media
helicopters hovered overhead like vultures and the race was on to find the
"truth" no matter the cost, monetarily or otherwise.

Duck Hunter Shoots Angel moved rapidly back and forth in time and between
locations in Alabama and New York. It could have become confusing if not for
Albom's clever use of taking the last word or phrase of a scene and repeating it
as the first line of the next scene thereby seamlessly making the transition.

This was an intelligent play of words and though it was a comedy with true laugh
out loud moments, suddenly the conversations moved into racial and cultural
issues, the state of today's media, man's redemption and you never saw it all
coming through the hilarity.

It was also a story of family and of love and loss. That's what makes Duck
Hunter Shoots Angel so brilliant. Albom had some verbal zingers with references
to Malcolm X and Black Power and the line ". . . newspapers who sound like the
government (sound familiar?) or "over thinking is the death of belief". There
were digs at rednecks and urbanites, conservatives and Democrats alike and no
one was safe. Still we laughed.

Director John Tillman staged his production simply. After all, it's hard to move
a large cypress tree on and offstage! A rolling desk and chair from one side
and a rolling convenience store counter from the other side was all that was
needed to quickly travel in and out of scenes.

One note to the actors: Come out more onstage so as not to be hidden within the
side blacks. Lighting Designer Robert Dennard produced effective lightening both
onstage and in the audience, surprising a few members.

Dan Nolen, Jr. had triple duty doing the voiceover, costume and prop design. He
dressed our hunters in the typical garb of overalls, camouflage or ear flap caps
and red long johns.

Scenic Designer Ellen Mizner designed a darn good swamp complete with decaying
tree roots and stumps around the main tree, rolling fog and long, hanging moss.

Jeff Mizner's sound design with croaking frogs and clicking bugs further
heightened the icky swamp feel. Then there was that white object mentioned
earlier. I won't say what it was, but for Doctor Who fans, it was like the
episode "Blink" where you look away and the statue changes. The white object
kept changing and I don't know when it happened but it left me mesmerized.

What a fabulous comedic duo Larry Launders and Carter Frost made playing Duane
and Duwell respectively. Bumble-headed and simple-minded as the characters were,
the actors did not totally succumb to stereotypical characterizations of people
from the Deep South. Both Launders and Frost had such great material from which
to work with.
At one point Duane and Duwell got into a conversation about homose*uals and,
completely out of normal redneck character, spoke of gay rights as a matter of
fact. Their misspoken words or
"Malapropisms" such as "papa Nazis" for paparazzi or "Armagetcha" for Armageddon
were priceless. Again, it was brilliant writing. I must highlight Carter Frost
as a superb comedic and dramatic actor. His vocal inflections, both broad and oh
so subtle with a soft lisping overtone was masterful.

Robert Malone played the many emotional layers of Sandy with skill. His bio said
he went to school in New York and the east coast accent may be real but I
thought it fell away occasionally.

Michael Speck was wonderfully slimy portraying Lester, the rag's conniving
editor.

Douglas Cunningham had some humorous moments as urban photographer Lenny, stuck
in a bigoted land. Jennifer Fortson as the girlfriend and Jill Etheridge as
Kansas, the store clerk, had smaller roles and played them with a quiet
simplicity perfectly suited to each character. And while I won't give it away,
Charles Poynter was amazingly funny and poignant as the man/beast considering he
was silent and you could not see his face. Question: why was he not part of the
cast list in the playbill?

Duck Hunter Shoots Angel is a beautiful play, lightly blending laughter with
heart. You leave smiling yet asking yourself what you really see and what you
really believe. For Mitch Albom's words and his simply wonderful, thought-filled
comedy, you must bundle up warm and make the trek to ONSTAGE in Bedford (it's
really not that far) and see Duck Hunter Shoots Angel!

And you won't believe this, but as I was finishing writing up this review, I
looked up and Mitch Albom was on The Late Show with Craig Ferguson (Twilight
Zone do-do-do-do). Don't you love when that happens!

Reviewed by Mary L Clark, Associate Theatre Critic for
John Garcia's THE COLUMN

_______________________________________________________________

DUCK HUNTER SHOOTS ANGEL
ONSTAGE in Bedford
2819 Forest Ridge Dr.
Bedford, TX 76021
Through December 19, 2009

Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm and Saturday matinees
at 2:00 pm.

Tickets are $15 and $12 for seniors, students and Bedford residents. Those with
a Fort Worth Telegram Press Pass may purchase tickets at half price for matinee
performances only, limit two per Press Pass. This play is rated PG. For
information and reservations call 1-817-354-6444 or go to
www.onstageinbedford.com.