Moments of Painful Honesty and Humor

Call Me Elizabeth — Porchlight Music Theatre

It’s a late morning in May, 1961 when there’s a knock at the door of the Beverly Hills Hotel bungalow. Always the epitome  of style and elegance, beautiful Elizabeth Taylor welcomes unseen writer and old friend, columnist Max Lerner. He has arrived to begin interviewing the actress for a planned biography. The next 70 minutes will provide the theatre audience with a candid, sometimes humorous and often painfully honest look at one of Hollywood’s biggest and most glamorous movie stars.

This fascinating one-woman play was written by actress Kayla Boye. Performing her own work, she offers a shattering, exquisite performance that should not be missed. She portrays the Queen of the Silver Screen as she talks about how she began in the movie industry. Miss Taylor bristles as she describes how confining it had been being under contract with various film studios as a child actress. She speaks with blunt honesty about the many men in her life, and she spills many behind-the-scenes secrets about some of her most famous films. The one-act is a perfect fit for this viral presentation, and our focus is always entirely upon Elizabeth Taylor, as she talks candidly about life, love and her career. 

Kayla Boye is, of course, no stranger to the Chicago stage. She’s a critically-acclaimed actress, known for her multitude of fine performances at Porchlight Music Theatre, Drury Lane Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and Music Theatre Works, to name just a few. Here, as Elizabeth Taylor, Kayla is simply extraordinary. The audience soon forgets they’re watching an actress portraying the famed movie star, and not a filmed interview with Miss Taylor, herself. Kayla strips away the hidden layers, allowing the glamorous facade of Tinsel Town to suddenly melt away in moments of painful honesty. But she also captures much of Taylor’s humor and bubbly public persona, as well. It’s a performance that truly begs to be seen.

In addition to Ms. Boye’s captivating performance, skillfully and poignantly directed by Erin Kraft, the production offers some polished, professional camera work. Cinematographer Ryan Cassell shows that he’s an expert at understanding how the video medium can enhance good storytelling. His camera seems to languish on the film star, caressing the actress in the cinematic style of the 1960’s. Cassell’s closeup work carefully frames Ms. Boye’s face, so the audience is ever aware of the pain raging inside Miss Taylor.

The production’s look is picture perfect. The setting, with it’s variety of period props, feels specific and appropriate for this Beverly Hills Hotel bungalow. Glamourland Vintage and Necia’s Hairstyling work together to create just the right, elegant look for Elizabeth Taylor. And Ethan Deppe’s lush background composition creates the perfect musical atmosphere, while the velvety voice of Bethany Thomas provides a deliciously provocative coda to this virtual performance, as she sings Deppe’s beautiful, “Lilies and Roses.”  

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented April 23-May 9 in a virtual presentation by KB Productions and Porchlight Music Theatre.

Tickets are available for streaming by going to www.PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. A portion of the proceeds benefits Howard Brown Health and Brave Space Alliance, in honor of Elizabeth Taylor’s advocacy and activism in the fight against HIV/AIDS.