THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 1, 1996 TAG: 9602010060
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARSHA GILBERT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
WHEN A YOUNG African-American man with a stab wound shows up at the lavish condo of wealthy art dealer Flan Kittredge and his wife, Ouisa, they are initially just concerned about stopping his bleeding.
They soon become captivated by him, after he claims that he goes to Harvard with their children and is the son of actor Sidney Poitier.
His charm and tall tales draw in the Kittredges and their friends. He accepts their hospitality and money. In exchange, he engages them in long philosophical discussions and even cooks for them, eventually betraying their trust.
New York's Upper East Side meets the 'hood and finds out just how much they have in common in the area premiere of the John Guare play ``Six Degrees of Separation.'' The show continues at the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach through Feb. 17.
``Six Degrees of Separation'' was voted best play of 1990-91 by the New York Drama Critics.
Jonathan White, 28, has the lead role of Paul, the convincing scam artist who charms his way into the family's home and life.
``He has to con a New York family and the audience in the process,'' said Tom Felton, the show's director and set designer. ``Jon is wonderful at seducing the audience. He's an extraordinary actor.''
This is the same role made popular by actor Will Smith, of the television sitcom ``Fresh Prince of Bel Air,'' in the 1993 film adaptation.
White performed with Little Theater of Virginia Beach last year in supporting roles in ``A Few Good Men'' and ``Another Part of the Forest.''
``In the first week of rehearsals, Jonathan knew 90 percent of his lines, and a week later, he knew all the lines and characterization,'' said Felton, the Little Theater president. ``Jon knew the script first and has more dialogue than the others. He motivated the rest of the cast.''
White is an aspiring actor who also manages to fit in modeling assignments while working full time in the engineering department of WTKR News Channel 3.
Area viewers may already be familiar with some of White's work as a master control operator at the station. When they tune in Channel 3 and see a commercial, a syndicated show, an infomercial or hear the national anthem playing at the end of the broadcast day, White might have been the engineer who rolled that tape.
Hampton Roads residents can see White out of the control booth and on stage as a principal player in this community production.
``I've just gotten comfortable with it,'' White said. ``I'm having fun with it now. I'm becoming the character on stage. My performance is sharper and I'm having more fun.''
Bob Burchette, the 59-year-old Virginia Beach actor who plays Flan, said of White: ``It's a powerful role and he has a wonderful presence. It's been a delight to watch him grow into the role over five weeks of rehearsals. He's doing a fine job.''
Paul shows Ouisa - played by Norfolk actress Kathy Umberger - that they are as different yet similar as the double-sided Kandinsky painting that the couple owns.
The Kandinsky painting has been reproduced by Felton and is suspended from the ceiling throughout the show.
``Kathy, Bob and I have good chemistry,'' White said. ``It's a group effort. Last spring we performed together in `Another Part of the Forest.' ''
Umberger, 42, pointed out that ``one of the messages from `Six Degrees of Separation' is that if we could just find the right six people, we'd see that we are all connected.''
Her character believes that everyone is separated by no more than six people. She imagines that if we could just find the right six people, each of whom knew each other, we'd see how everyone on Earth is indirectly linked.
``There but for the grace of God go I,'' continued Umberger, a veteran actress of 29 years. ``Is it fate or chance that makes you turn left or right?
``My character is most affected after meeting Paul. In the beginning, she is satisfied in her high-rise penthouse apartment. She's above the world and not a part of anything dirty or unpleasant. After meeting Paul, she questions herself and goes on a journey of self-discovery.''
Ouisa's husband, Flan, has just the opposite reaction to Paul. Of all the characters, ``Flan is the most unchanged, indifferent and unsympathetic,'' Burchette said. ``He wants to make as much money as he can and take care of himself and his family. There is not a whole lot to like about this character.'' Burchette sees a key question in the play as: ``Am I my brother's keeper and to what degree?''
This is Burchette's 20th Little Theater role and his 50th show in Hampton Roads since 1971. He has won PortFolio Awards as best actor for the part of Weller in ``The Gin Game,'' performer of the year as W.O. Gant in ``Look Homeward, Angel'' and best actor for the role of Brackish in ``Park Your Car in Harvard Yard.''
Felton said, ``Paul shows Ouisa that her life is shallow and her relationship with her husband is not satisfying. One difference in the stage version is that Ouisa leaves with Flan at the end, so it is ambiguous how the relationship will end up.''
The local production runs for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Although it was written as a one-act play, Felton inserted an intermission after the first 40 minutes. The break follows an emotionally tense scene with homosexual overtones and partial nudity.
In this version, actors sit in the audience, pass props on the stage and make their entrance from the audience.
The innovative staging ``is like a modern painting,'' Felton said. ``If it works, the audience becomes actively engaged in finding out who this boy is. It eliminates barriers and gets the audience to go on the journey with Ouisa.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/The Virginian-Pilot
Jonathan White has the lead role in ``Six Degrees of Separation'' at
the Little Theater of Virginia Beach.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY THEATER by CNB