Theater Review -- Tom Titus

The art of “Making It,” taking those crucial steps that will advance

your career, is examined from three alternating perspectives at South

Coast Repertory, where the world premiere of Joe Hortua’s new dramatic

comedy is unfolding on the Second Stage.

All three involve the restaurant business. A playwright and his

fiancee meet the industry bigwig who could boost his fortunes -- if only

he’d read the younger man’s play. A waiter with acting ambitions writhes

under the thumb of the restaurant manager who’s been there and back. And

two immigrant busboys present contrasting images of America as the land

of opportunity.

And until the final scene, an extended diatribe between the busboys

after everyone else has gone home, “Making It” crackles with the

immediacy of frustrated ambitions and an almost pathological need for

professional advancement. Were that finale excised or inserted in a

shorter form earlier in the play, Hortua’s message would be far more

effective.

Director David Emmes skillfully intertwines his actors with the

material, eliciting some exceptional performances, particularly from the

three patrons who anchor the story. JD Cullum excels as the manic young

writer, celebrating the birthday of his girlfriend (Laura Hinsberger),

but unable to see past his own ego. Hinsberger absorbs much of Cullum’s

self-centered bluster before eventually giving it back, in kind, in a

surprisingly satisfying sequence.

Their personal issues dissolve, however, when the senior playwright

(Nicholas Hormann) arrives -- or, rather, descends upon the couple.

Hormann is not only a more established writer, his narcissism overshadows

Cullum’s by volumes and his blatant homosexuality sounds a discomforting

note for both the dining couple and the skittish waiter who serves them.

The latter role, neatly done by Heath Freeman, is that of an aspiring

actor forced into that most traditional of actor’s “regular jobs,”

waiting tables. And even this task would be easier to bear were it not

for the tippling manager (Jennifer Griffin) lording it over him and

forcing him to recite his “lines” (the list of the restaurant’s specials)

repeatedly.

Griffin’s character is a sad case, a failed actress now succeeding in

food service and making life miserable for those who came up the way she

did. And though she makes it clear that the road to Freeman’s success

runs through her bedroom, his integrity is a tough nut to crack.

Observing all this and commenting caustically are the lowly busboys:

Dileep Rao, who thoroughly enjoys his new country, and Assaf Cohen, who

despises it. Positioned downstage, they inject a jarring note of reality

into the travails of the other two segments.

The three-area setting by Angela Balogh Calin works very nicely for

the play, and Geoff Korf’s lighting highlights each segment effectively.

Hortua, a playwright with ample restaurant experience, renders his

characters vital and believable, garnishing only the flamboyant character

played by Hormann. “Making It” is an important new work that could be

improved by adjusting the final 10 minutes.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Daily Pilot. His reviews

appear Thursdays and Saturdays.

FYI

* What: “Making It”

* Where: South Coast Repertory Second Stage, 655 Town Center Drive,

Costa Mesa

* When: 7:45 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, 2 and 7:45 p.m.Saturdays

and Sundays until Feb. 24

* Cost: $27-$51

* Call: (714) 708-5555