‘The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife’ (a kick in the rut), opens April 10 at Azuay Community Theater

By Chase Squires

Anyone who’s felt stuck in a rut and dealt with a disapproving parent, a distracted spouse, a midlife crisis, and the urge to tear up a Disney store can relate. Sometimes even a comfortable life can feel a little … overwhelming.

Then toss in a mysterious, dear old friend who drops by for a visit (and simply won’t leave) and threatens to stir things up.

Cuenca’s Azuay Community Theater (ACT) this month presents the contemporary, Tony Award winning Broadway comedy The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife, the story of Upper West Sider Marjorie Taub and her middle class, madcap meltdown.

In his 2000 review, New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley called playwright Charles Busch’s “Tale” a “window-rattling comedy of midlife malaise.”

The play, with plenty of laughs to go along with some, ahem, adult language and situations, runs April 10 through 13 at ACT’s theater in El Centro. Tickets are available online at www.actseats.com. Showtime is 3 p.m., but patrons are encouraged to come by beginning at 2 p.m. to enjoy a social hour and a beverage before the performance.

Meet The Cast and Crew
Veteran Bob Fry directs a cast of experienced performers (and a couple of talented newcomers) in a modern-day story about marriage, self-discovery, and the absurdity of middle-class life. Fry spent decades treading the boards in the U.S. and has been with ACT since moving to Cuenca 10 years ago, both as a director (The Waverly Gallery and How the Other Half Loves) and as a lead actor in The Last Romance, and The Odd Couple. He has also appeared in many other ACT’s productions like the popular holiday radio shows including two versions of A Christmas Carol as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Kate Marin Wohlfield shines as aspiring intellectual Marjorie Taub, who’s found herself in a rut, pondering the meaning of it all, and pining for a change. Wohlfield is a stage veteran performing as Rachel in The Baby Dance, Flo in Picnic, and Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Her ACT credits include important roles in The Prisoner of Second Avenue, The Waverly Gallery and Miracle on 34th Street.

Al Franklin plays Marjorie Taub’s husband, Ira, an earnest – if distracted – Manhattan doctor. Franklin, with the support of his wife Teresa, has appeared in presentations from ACT’s early years, including A Bench in the Sun, Broadway Bound, and Opening Night. Al spent many years as Production Manager at Chicago’s famed Steppenwolf Theater.

And what tale of midlife angst would be complete without a nagging and disapproving mother? Teresa Drake plays Marjorie’s mom, always ready with a discouraging word and unsolicited (and perhaps unwelcome) advice. She has performed in both the U.S. and at ACT in plays including Fox Fire, Curious Savage, The Waverly Gallery, and the holiday radio shows among others. When not on stage, Drake is a fiber artist, photographer, and published author.

And then there’s the mysterious and mischievous childhood friend who sets the mayhem in motion, Lee Green, played by Megan Edwards, new to ACT, but not new to acting. She performed in the U.S. as Laurie in “Oklahoma,” Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady,” and Sandy in “Grease,” among others. Her budding career was put on hold after her senior year in high school when she was named best actress. Her ACT debut marks her return to the stage after 25 years.

Native Ecuadorian Fabian Saconoto makes his stage debut as the observant, if not sometimes bewildered, doorman, Manuel, watching the odd comings and goings in his building. Saconoto says he’s excited to take part in his first production and credits Fry for his direction and encouragement as he takes on a new challenge as a non-native English speaker.

Keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes, Dorothy Peck is the ever patient stage manager. Peck has managed the chaos behind the curtain for ACT’s “The Last Romance,” “The Cemetery Club,” and recently “Blithe Spirit” among others.

Show Times, Tickets, and Location
The bar opens at 2 p.m. and shows start promptly at 3 p.m. on April 10, 11, 12, and 13. Performances always let out during daylight hours to ensure everyone makes it home in daylight. As Cuenca’s only English language troupe, ACT’s 50-seat theater frequently sells out in advance, so it’s recommended patrons check availability and purchase tickets early at www.actseats.com.

The theater is located in El Centro at Antonio Vega Muñoz 14-46, between Coronel Tálbot and Estévez de Toral. There are no stairs to navigate, and free parking is available in the lot behind the theater. The theater is close to several Tranvía stops with buses serving Antonio Vega Muñoz continuously. The Google map location is also available at www.actseats.com