BWW Reviews: LETO LEGEND Saves the Day with Comedy at the HUB Theatre

Leto is the mother goddess of Lucia. She protects the people of Lucia by confronting the many monsters summoned by Hera, Queen of the Gods. Charlie, a comic book artist for XX Comics, doesn't have to fight off monsters, but she struggles to find balance between being a mother to her daughter, Diana, meeting the demands of her boss, Meredith, and finding time to work on a new issue of her comic about the mythical Leto. When Charlie's recent issue about Leto becoming a mother sets off a controversy, Meredith tells Charlie that Leto cannot be both a mother and a hero of Lucia. Despite Meredith's feedback, Charlie decides that she must figure out a way to keep Leto as a mother and a hero in the comic. The HUB Theatre's production of Leto Legend, written by Kristen LePine and directed by Helen Pafumi, parallels the struggles of modern day motherhood with the myth of Leto.

The HUB Theatre's Leto Legend is engaging to watch from beginning to end. The play features a strong, all female cast (Valerie Fenton, Lolita Marie, Katie Nigsch, Audrey Bertaux, Katie Jefferies, and Carolyn Kashner). The actresses are able to transition from character to character flawlessly and without hesitation as the scenes change between Charlie and Leto's worlds. The addition of the Greek chorus (Lolita Marie, Katie Nigsch, Audrey Bertaux, Katie Jefferies, and Carolyn Kashner) during Leto's scenes pays homage to the traditional Greek chorus shown in Greek tragedy.

Although, this Greek chorus is more modern. Each actress brings their own distinct voice to the women of Lucia. From a widow to a mother dealing with a rambunctious child, the women of Lucia become relatable to the women in the audience. The chorus sings songs, but some of these songs do not often drive the story forward. There is only one song that alludes to tragedy and this song is the introduction song about Leto's struggles and background. It is a haunting tune and each member of the chorus carries their own weight during this song.

Comedy trumps tragedy especially in Charlie's world. Fenton as Charlie and Marie as Meredith drive the comedy forward. Marie and Fenton are funny to watch during scenes about Charlie's lack of progress on her recent comic. They play off each other emotions well during these scenes, but they also can be funny on their own. Fenton's use of witty comedic timing as she is trying to prevent interruptions during her Skype interview with a blogger and Marie's body language including her facial expressions as she deals with the assistants bringing her work to approve are on point. These instances are often what made the audience chuckle.

Despite the limited space, the set, designed by Robbie Hayes, is versatile. At first, the set-up of two diagonal staircases with a platform meeting between the stairs seems to simple. However, once the show starts, the set transforms through the use of light projections below the platform to show everything from text messages to the wings of a dragon and a mesh-like material that is manipulated by the actresses to show the movement of a monster.

Leto Legend is an enjoyable production with interesting female characters and quirky jokes. The HUB Theatre's production of Leto Legend is 90 minutes long without an intermission and it runs through August 2, 2015. Tickets are available online.

Photo caption and credit: Pictured Katie Jeffries, Audrey Bertaux, Valerie Fenton, Katie Nigsch, Carolyn Kashner, Lolita Marie. (Photo by C. Stanley Photography)

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