Troupe makes auspicious debut> Fledgling Stillwater Stage connects on pair of offbeat productions

It was hot fun in the summertime as Stillwater Stage presented two short plays this weekend at the toasty Cyrus Pavilion Theatre in Orono. The fledgling summer troupe, which is made up of past and present theater students from the University of Maine, has fresh, hot talent and a commitment to doing theater you might not see in bigger houses. This weekend’s lineup included Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, by John Patrick Shanley, and For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls, by Christopher Durang.

Danny, which was directed by Deborah M. Elz, bears some screwy relationship to the story of Romeo and Juliet — except it takes place in a bar in the Bronx and its lovers like to shout and hit. Danny, who calls himself the beast, has a temper problem: When he punches people, he just can’t stop and may have even killed a man last night. Roberta, a single mom in her 30s, is used to getting roughed up by men. So when they meet in the bar, they already have a lot in common. In the play’s two scenes, they work out their fears and find love — and actually live through it.

Actors Kelly A. Sanders (Roberta) and Barrett Hammond (Danny) projected incisive energy with their characters. Funny, thorough and fluid, they let the audience in on some real intimacy. Occasionally, they relied too passionately on angry emotions, even though both actors were clearly up for a more sophisticated understanding of Shanley’s script.

But that may have something to do with a few dramatic choices director Elz made when it came to the show’s monologues. It’s a stylized piece, for sure, but not as stylized as, say, a David Mamet play. And Elz got it wobbling a bit by having the actors move between emphatic lyricism and the conversational style of the script. Elz’s eye was generally good, however, and her choice of material attests to her bravery as a new director.

The work of the young performers was a pleasure to watch — particularly in the second act when they delivered a sweet love scene in which they faced each other and practiced speaking tenderly and trusting that it was real. A rough and tumble urban couple, Roberta and Danny prove they are no different from anyone who wants to be loved, to be held and to sleep safely in that comfort.

For Whom the Southern Belle Tolls was an entertaining presentation of Durang’s version of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. In this silly adaptation, Tom Wingvalley (who is gay) brings home a girl (who is a lesbian) to meet his brother, Lawrence (who has an affected limp, eczema and a collection of glass swizzle sticks to occupy his day). Amanda Wingvalley wants desperately to rid herself of the young Lawrence so she can join Parents Without Partners and get on with her life.

Durang’s script is never as good as one would hope for, but it’s still quite hilarious in parts, and director Daniel Daugherty let the actors loose with the skewed plot. Elaine DiFalco was a wicked Amanda. Jeremy Leclerc was a fussy Tom — with a hoot of a final reflection on memory. Kristen E. Williams, as the butch Virgina Bennett, showed her usual talent for being very amusing, indeed. Sean A. Fidler, as the losing Lawrence, had some good lines — which would have been funnier had he been able to avoid smirking.

Both productions, which were definitely geared toward mature audiences, got Stillwater Stage off to a good beginning this season. As they get established, the group’s leaders are hoping to pick up more supporters and audience members. Based on these two simply presented and fully engaging shows, that might, indeed, turn out to be a good thing.