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REVIEW: DA! Theatre Collective’s Leave it to Beverly

Wow, that was some show. I laughed through the entire performance. I'm referring to Leave It to Beverly, the new comedy written and directed by Kirk German, who did an outstanding job of creating a show that is fun to watch and still delivers a great message.

Here's how great the show is: I took my parents, who are early middle-aged folks from the 'burbs of Austin, and we all enjoyed this vintage parody. My folks are even talking about

coming back with my grandmother!

The evening is divided up into three different episodes: "Leave it to Beverly," "Trixie Knows Best," and "Make Room for Lorraine." Each episode is hilarious in its own right, and the over-the-top caricatures are portrayed by an amazing cast that are each heart warming and comical.

Heather Huggins makes a charming "Beverly" - the perfect 1950s housewife who does a wonderful job of holding the show together. As her best friend and nutty neighbor "Minerva," Stephanie Denson projects both comic timing and poise

The two crazy ladies balance against the serious "man of the house" - Beverly's husband played by Chris Gibson. Although he is a billed as a guest artist with DA! Theatre Collective, he melds perfectly with the group and manages to stay in character no matter what happens around him.

In "Trixie Knows Best," Lisa Del Rosario's pixie Trixie - a cross between Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie - is adorable and surprisingly believable. I actually forgot that I was in a theatre and not at home watching Nick at Nite!

Part of the charm in this episode is Trixie's mother, played by Jude Hickey. He deserves a huge round of applause for his over the top talent; he is a really treat as he plays a very eccentric woman whose only concern is her daughter and her well-being.

Trixie's Mother loves her so much that she forgets to not become involved in her relationship with "The Commander," played by Jacob Trussell. I have seen Mr. Trussell in a couple of other shows, and this was his most mature role to date. He was having the time of his life, remaining adorable the whole time in his pandering for Trixie!

In the finale vignette - "Make Room for Lorraine" - the title character is just as colorful as the others - if not more so. From the moment you first meet her, you can tell that Michelle Brandt really inhabits her annoyingly heroic role.

In the end, Lorraine and Sven - Lorraine's very Swedish husband - were my favorite pair. Brandt demonstrated that she's a talented dancer, and Scott Roskilly as Sven is a hilarious addition to this show - a comic relief of the highest caliber. As an actor, I could not say most of his lines with a straight face; to me, that is true talent.

Everything about this show is incredible - from the hilarious period costumes by Monica Gibson to the perfectly offbeat sound design by Bryan Schneider. On top of the talented actors and the great technical work, the set and special effects by Connor Hopkins really take the cake - I especially loved the "special effects" in the "Trixie Knows Best" skit.

Leave It to Beverly is a treat for everyone. Bring your folks, your kids, and even your nutty neighbors - this show is out of this world fun; 5 Out of 5 Stars!

Leave It to Beverly plays Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., from November 5th through 21st at The Off Center - located at 2211-A Hildalgo Road. A special Sunday matinee on November 15th at 5 p.m. will benefit GRRL Action.

Tickets are $15 to $25, with $12 tickets for students and seniors. For information and reservations, call (512) 484-1242, toll free at 1-800-838-3006, or visit online www.DaTheatreCollective.org.

(Photo: Heather Huggins (red), Michelle Brandt (blue), and Stephanie Denson (green);

photo by Melissa Jurrens.)