An Almost Enthralling Ghost Story

Tippy: Stories From the River – The Impostors Theatre Company

Housed in the Flat Iron Arts Building, this fledgling theatre company is both creative and full of positive energy, a winning combination for any arts organization. They strive to “Embrace the Art of Pretend.” In accomplishing this, they’ve raised storytelling to new heights through the dramatization of all kinds of tales. Now in their second year, the company opens a new season of original, story theatre plays beginning with this interesting new drama by archivist and playwright, Kayla Belec. 

Somewhere along Indiana’s 182-mile-long Tippecanoe River a family is sharing some quality time, relaxing together on the porch of their riverfront summer cottage. The evening, however, belongs to Uncle Kirk, a passionate storyteller, who loves to spin tales and create his own rural legends to captivate the imaginations of the youngsters. One particular story haunts this entire two-hour play. It’s a ghostly fable about how, one night, a fisherman spots a mysterious woman floating above the waves of the river. Thinking she’s in need of help, the kindly fisherman rescues her, but that’s only the beginning. Suffice it to say that tragedy befalls the couple and the spirit of Tippy, as Kirk calls her, goes on to infect both the river and everyone’s lives. Theatergoers will then spend the rest of the evening witnessing how the tales Kirk tells affects his listeners.

Director Stefan Roseen has splendidly used the entire theatre space to tell the story. At times, the actors practically leap into the audience’s lap. The eight-member cast is energetic, likable and talented, but there are definite pacing problems with this production. A pause must be used judiciously in a production. It serves to point up an important line or thought that follows. However, Mr. Roseen has allowed the pacing to be too slow, employing far too many hesitations. Thus the story feels staccato and too sluggish to hold the theatergoer’s attention. Many of the characters speak with gaps in their dialogue, giving the impression that they’re searching for just the right word While this technique may seem realistic, it’s frustrating to listen to for two hours.

The other problem comes from the script itself. Kayla Belec’s play is gripping and exciting when she sticks to the supernaturally tinged tale of Tippy and her fisherman. We’re fascinated by Belec’s eerie story of a doomed woman and how her spirit haunts the river and poisons all the flotsam and jetsam surrounding her watery grave. 

But, in Act II, we suffer through a bizarre, unrelated interlude about a quarreling couple who live downstream in the red clapboard cabin. The husband believes their house has been robbed, while the wife is more concerned about rats invading their cottage. Ranger Rick is called to help out and then the story just stops. There’s no connection between this long episode and the main plot. Then another unnecessary break in the act comes  from a sophomoric skit about adolescent Boy Scouts, along with two peculiar dance breaks and a musical number. The lovely, captivating ghost story in which we were originally invested loses all its momentum during these lengthy breaks.

The cast is led by handsome and charming Dominick Alesia, who captures the audience with his appealing magnetism and his effervescent, spellbinding storytelling talent. A gorgeous, graceful and almost ethereal Sarah Glasgow absolutely bewitches as Tippy; and Matthew Smith is equally as enthralling as Gale, the mysterious, phantom river fisherman. As Ella, Kirk’s inquisitive and impressionable young niece, Keaton Stewart is ever so cute and charismatic. Her mother, Lori, is enthusiastically played by Julia Germeroth and Ella’s Aunt Joan, who doubles as the Crone, is nicely portrayed by lovely Stephanie Lewis. RJ Cecott and Nick Strauss complete the cast as as Terrence, Ella’s annoying older brother, and Brady, her equally fussy father.

Tippy and her river saga is a perfect Halloween entertainment, particularly when the play sticks to the main plot. That story is dreamy and filled with subtle secrecy and unexpected twists that create the tension of a good ghost story. It’s when the play derails and goes off in other directions that the audience becomes confused and loses interest. When Kayla Belec’s original drama focuses on the main event she has a winning vehicle. This play is capable of chilling the blood of even the most pragmatic theatergoer, especially if it were to be presented uninterrupted by an intermission. It’s then that the river will flow smoothly with an enthralling ghost story.

Somewhat Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented October 18-November 2 by The Impostors Theatre Company at the Collaboraction Studio Pentagon Theatre, in the Flat Iron Arts Building, 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available at the door or by going to www.theimpostorstheatre.com/boxoffice.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.