Rich Girl: Everything but girlie: A sharp story about love, parenting and…money
Article by Alejandra Enciso Guzmán
Playwright Victoria Stewart already had two works with strong female characters. Inspired by her admiration for author/financial advisor Suze Orman, as well as Henry James’s Washington Square she decided to write a third piece, sort of a trilogy.
Currently playing at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, The Old Globe has brought a marvelous west coast premiere of her work. From the casting, to the set design to the very well landed story. Props to Director and San Diegan James Vásquez.
Eve (Meg Gibson) is a single mother turned financial TV star/guru. Her mission: teaching women (especially) how to establish and own up to their net worth, even before their personal worth. Something that audiences will get to experience a la in studio live taping, night after night.
Life lessons Eve had to learn at her young age, left feelings and heart ruling to the side. Living in her Manhattan condo with daughter Claudine (Lauren Blumenfeld) and personal assistant Maggie (Carolyn Michelle Smith), incisive Eve became even more so, after overcoming breast cancer.
Purple haired Claudine, in her early twenties has other interests; but in trying to follow along with her mother’s wishes, she works at Eve’s foundation supervising grant petitions. Or, just ‘saying no’ a lot as a character building strategy. That is, until she comes across and old high school acquaintance. Henry (JD Taylor) a struggling theatre director with serious debts and a grand new play that is stuck in the middle of tech because another patron backed out. Although Claudine, gets distracted by Henry’s good (ahem great) looks, she still goes strong on her no saying path taking Henry along for the short ride. So, no grant for his play but, the determined young director has taken a liking to the purple hair and the klutzy young lady, so it seems. Claudine gives in and, after an opening night followed by an important benefit at the foundation, the two become an item. Something that Maggie finds sweet and good for Claudine. Eve has another impression.
Things start to get uncomfortable and the plot literally thickens. There is a marriage proposal, a credit/background check and a three month trip to Africa. Eve overwhelmed and not knowing how to kick some sense into Claudine, runs her mouth a little too much… in trying to prove what seemed to be a straight and to the point statement, delivering instead a harsh, even cruel revelation. Claudine’s heart roughens up to the point of overlooking the return of Eve’s great enemy.
Wilson Chin’s elegant yet homey scenic design meshes perfectly with Amanda Zieve’s bright white lightning design. Giving audiences the sophisticated ‘Manhattan’ feel with both Eve’s condo and her TV studio. The roman setting of this space is perfect for the ping pong in dialogs between the quartet of actors. Meg Gibson is tough and stoic as Eve in her ups and even more so till the end as Eve falls to her lows. Lauren’s innocent and kooky portrayal of Claudine is inspiring and eye opening. A girl that you would think has lived with everything in a luxurious manner, has really no interest and is in search of something meaningful for her life. The tension that builds between Eve and Claudine is softly handled by Carolyn Michelle Smith’s ‘Maggie’ who also gets a few laughs with that quirky style. JD Taylor as Henry, is the trigger to all these mixed emotions and messages we see on stage. The resolution is something that cannot be missed in this temperamentally charged story playing until Sunday June 21st.
Ticket prices start at $29 dollars.
Surrounding events:
POST-SHOW FORUMS: Tuesday June 9th, and Wednesday, June 17
Discuss the play with members of the cast and crew following the performance. FREE
SUBJECT MATTERS: Saturday, June 20
Following the 2:00 p.m. performance, explore the ideas and issues raised by the production through brief, illuminating post-show discussions with local experts. FREE
The Old Globe is located in San Diego’s Balboa Park at 1363 Old Globe Way. Free parking is available throughout the park. Valet parking is also available ($12). Please arrive with amp time to look for parking and make the curtain time in a punctual manner.
