Review: BORN YESTERDAY at Asolo Repertory Theatre

In its 58th season, the enchanting Asolo Repertory Theatre hit the ball out of the park with its staging of Born Yesterday. Many will remember the 1950 film version staring Broderick Crawford as Harry Brock, the controlling, corrupt business tycoon, playing sugar daddy to love interest Billie Dawn, portrayed by Judy Holliday. Miss Holliday was honored with an Academy Award for Best Actress, reprising her role from the 1946 Broadway production by Garson Kanin.

As the curtain parts in Asolo Rep's offering, Robert Perdziola's set design captures immediate attention in the stunning mise en scène. The reveal was met with a round of applause from an appreciative audience. The elaborate backdrop envelopes theatregoers in an invitation to peer into the life of crooked junk dealer Harry Brock, (Norm Boucher), a recent resident to Washington D.C., who came to town with a purpose. Political corruption. Accompanying Harry is his shyster, alcoholic attorney, Ed Devery, (Eric Hissom), and his sweetly oblivious, uncultured girlfriend, Billie Dawn, (Christina DeCicco). Not wanting anything to stop him from increasing his money and power, Harry tasks his attorney with a job to find a senator he can purchase for favors. Also, wanting to blend in with Washington's elite society, Harry delegates Paul Verrall, (Christopher Kelly), a young journalist whose social graces he has come to appreciate, with a mission to help refine and educate Billie. Her character comes to life with a thirst for knowledge when Paul provides books, newspapers and an enormous dictionary to advance her acumen and augment his tutelage.

As the show progresses, Harry becomes more obnoxious and violent. There are several tense moments where Harry is abusive with each character, especially Billie. Chicago-born actor Norm Boucher, whose TV credits include Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and two Super Bowl commercials, intensely depicts Harry as the bad guy you love to hate. Broadway's lovely Christina DeCicco, (Evita, Spider-Man, Sister Act and Wicked), draws us in as we watch her blossom and articulate some opinions of her own. Having appeared in Drama Desk-nominated Moby Dick and film credits including Damages (FX) and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Christopher Kelly is patient and charming as Billie's tutor. Don Walker portrays Norval Hedges, the Senator on the take, with a relaxed touch of Southern charm. Eric Hissom plays up Harry's alcoholic attorney to perfection and we feel his pain being caught in the mix.

Director Peter Amster brilliantly navigates his actors to their best work and allows the audience the opportunity to enjoy the intensity as well as the comedic aspect of this tight production. Born Yesterday is so relevant to today's political environment that it could have been written, well, yesterday!

Born Yesterday runs in rotating rep through April 15 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.