BWW Reviews: Actors' Playhouse Pushes Out A Comical Baby with RATED P FOR PARENTHOOD

One of the smartest choices Director David Arisco made this summer was assembling four of the finest actors in South Florida for his hysterically poignant offering of Rated P for Parenthood. The fast-paced anecdotal collection of vignettes written by Sandy Rustin, Dan Lipton and David Rossmer takes a musical romp through the struggles and unexpected joys of being a parent in a completely relatable way, whether you are a parent or not. Mostly set up as, at least, PG-13 humor (never underestimate the comic effect of belting out a long curse word), Rated P surprises with a few tender moments from the women that will touch your heart when you least expect.

Amy Miller Brennan, Henry Gainza, Julie Kleiner and Jim Ballard drive the 90 minute sketch-comedy at the correct speed, quickly transforming into someone new on a dime with minimal costume additions and subtractions to help delineate characters. Each parent or child is brought to life by these actors' remarkable ability to find specificity and clarity with all of their smart choices. Notable hilarious highlights are Ballard and Gainza as gay fathers coping with their straight sons' affinity for boobs, Brennan's Harvard grad mom struggling with eighth grade math and Kleiner's teenage girl justifying a condom found in her jeans pocket as a school supply. The softer moments peppered throughout the evening land perfectly, hitting home with Kleiner's tender nighttime ballad to her baby boy and Brennan's moving prayer as she drops her daughter off at school for the first time. All four actors have a special knack for being completely believable and relatable every time they enter the stage for a new scene.

Arisco makes sure to keep the pace steady while using short text messages and autocorrect jokes projected onto oversize cell phones in order to allow for quick changes. Music director Manny Schvartzman echoes Arisco's efforts with quick tempos and song transitions and blends the four strong voices beautifully. Scenic designer Gene Seyffer keeps the musical revue style simple and Patrick Tennet's lighting directs the audience's focus appropriately. Without reinventing the wheel, Actors' Playhouse seizes the opportunity to showcase quality local talent and continue to prove their standing as one of the best theatres in South Florida.

Amy Miller Brennan, Henry Gainza, Julie Kleiner and Jim Ballard in RATED P FOR PARENTHOOD at Actors' Playhouse. Photo Credit: Alberto Romeu.

Henry Gainza and Amy Miller Brennan as babysitting Grandparents. Photo Credit: Alberto Romeu.

Henry Gainza and Jim Ballard as playground fathers. Photo Credit: Alberto Romeu.

Julie Kleiner and Amy Miller Brennan as teenage daughter and mother. Photo Credit: Alberto Romeu.