BWW Previews: INEZ'S BIRTHDAY ... AND THEN SOME at Script2Stage2Screen

Conservativism and religious hypocrisy take it on the chin in the newest play coming up this month from Script2Stage2Screen. S2S2S is a company in Rancho Mirage which presents previously unproduced scripts as staged readings with blocking and suggested sets and costumes, but with scripts in hand. For several years, their season finale has been a comedy written and directed by Jason Hull, a Palm Springs resident. His plays have developed a strong following of fans who love his reincarnations of the situation comedies of the 70's and 80's. They know they will have a good time with plenty of belly laughs. The play runs for two nights only, April 22 and 23, and seating is limited.

In Inez's Birthday ... And Then Some, East Tennessee spitfire Inez Willoughby (Alden West) is about to turn 85. She wants a male stripper at her party but her younger sister Louise (Shirley LeMaster) absolutely forbids it. Louise's son Arlo (Winston Gieseke) wants to blow off the party and go see Loretta Lynn in concert. Her other son, Tanner (Jason Reale), and his boyfriend Cole (Brent Anderson) live in California. Cole wants to attend the birthday in Tennessee so he can meet Tanner's family, but Tanner would rather skip the party and the visit altogether than have Cole find out what a screwball family he comes from.

Tanner and Cole make it to Tennessee, but Tanner is terrified of revealing that they are gay lovers. The problems increase when the bigoted Reverend Stuckey (Stan Jenson) comes to the party, hoping to make it an intervention to save Tanner from his choices of becoming a homosexual and living in the sinful cesspool of California.

Being a Jason Hull comedy, we know that all will turn out alright, with laughs at every step of the way combined with the richness of seeing the family unite. Hull has mentioned that this is his favorite script so far, and one that he hopes a local company will mount as a full production. In a brief Q & A session after each performance, viewers can express opinions and suggestions which will hopefully help guide the future production.

S2S2S requires all attendees to be fully vaccinated, and suggests that viewers register and RSVP in advance at www.script2stage2screen.com. Script2Stage2Screen is the performing arts project of the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Desert (UUCOD), 72425 Via Vail in Rancho Mirage. All staged readings take place at UUCOD at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

Although Hull's comedies normally finish the season, I'm Not Rick Springfield, a comedy by Vicki Vodrey of Kansas City, Mo., will be presented May 20 and 21, 2022. This production, directed by Phylicia Mason, was postponed in January due to COVID.

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