Avoid Play Airlines unless ...

What?  Never heard of it?  Nor had I but now you (and I) have heard of Play and here are a few details: 

You like being nickel and dimed to death?  Come on aboard! 

A charge for checked baggage?  Why, of course!  

How about a seat assignment?  Ka-ching! 

A carry-on fee?  Why, sure!

Coffee? Only three euros ($3.22) for instant!  Yummy!!

Water?  You want water on your long flight to help avoid dehydration?  Three euros, please.

Movies?  Transtlantic movies?  You must be kidding!  As I recall, the plane had no seat screens.

Communications? Contact with Play?  An AI penguin does the "talking."  Lots of fun!

Use of the restroom?  I'm not sure since I avoided anyone standing at the door with his hand or money can stuck out. 

Play reminds me of those other nameless US airlines which, by the time you total all the "extras" like a carry-on charge, make them more expensive than the higher-priced flights which have the costs built in.

It was one of those dumb times when I tried to find a cheaper price and find it, I did, but alas!  With a few "hiddens" added on which in the good ole USA, we call "bait and switch."

Praise God I did not choose Play to return from Europe. Instead, I rode Icelandair to Reykjavik to change planes.

There, Icelandair's pilot faulted Play for Play's errant use of a reserved gate which caused Icelandair's passengers waiting in line for 30 minutes to board for Dulles, to scramble to another gate, and once onboard, the pilot brought attention twice to Play's error. 

It caused us to be 30 minutes late to Dulles and created "a mess," for other flights, too, the pilot said over the intercom. 

To quote the adage:  You get what you pay for. Besides, any airline with a name like "Play" has got to be a joke.  It is!

patricialesli@gmail.com
 

A 'dead man' returns to Alexandria

Isn't she beautiful?  Two men vie to claim "her" in Little Theatre of Alexandria's Is He Dead?  starring Lanny Warkentien as Jean-Francois Millet and the Widow Tillou /Little Theatre of Alexandria  

It’s the last week to see another delightful show at the Little Theatre of Alexandria by the maestro of words, Mark Twain who wrote Is He Dead?  in 1893 in the middle of deep depression after the death of his daughter, Suzy, from spinal meningitis. 

And yet during this dark, troubling time, Twain was able to write what's considered to be his best composition for the stage, Is He Dead?, a comedy, no less.

From left, Hanlon Smith-Dorsey is "Dutchy," Brendan Chaney is "Chicago," Zachary Litwiller is Phelim O'Shaughnessy, and Lanny Warkentien is Jean-Francois Millet and the Widow Tillou in Little Theatre of Alexandria's Is He Dead?  They are moving a casket loaded with bricks/Little Theatre of Alexandria

Mark Twain wrote plays?  Who knew?

You're not the only one who is surprised!  And he tried writing more than one!

Leave it to a scholar to bring this show to life only in this century  when Shelley Fisher Fishkin found it in the archives at the University of California at Berkeley and got it going on stage.  

But it wasn't a surprise to scholars.  Many of them had been aware for years of Dead's existence.

The story of this dead man is based on a fictional tale of a great but starving actual French painter, Jean-Francois Millet (1814-1875) who feigns his death with the help of his buddies "Dutchy," (Hanlon Smith-Dorsey), "Chicago," (Brendan Chaney), and Phelim O'Shaughnessy (Zachary Litwiller), the purpose to raise the value of Millet's art which will reduce the debt he owes to the evil collector, Bastien André  (Kirk Lambert), who, of course is in love with the same woman, "Marie" (Sarah Keisler) as painter Millet (Lanny Warkentien). 

 

Did you get all that? 

The place is, where else? Gay Paree in 1846. The sets (by Matt Liptak) are divine, mon chéri, to match the luxurious costumes (always fun to see, by 

Jean Schlichting and Kit Sibley). 

Upon Millet's "death," André buys up Millet's paintings and the value goes whoosh!  Just like that and Millet is freed of debt.

To hide himself after he "dies," Millet  becomes his sister, the Widow Tillou and naturellement, "she" becomes André 's new love interest.  And also that of Marie's father (Leo Mairena).

Who would have guessed?

But how is our hero supposed to come back to life and marry Marie?  Where there's a will, there's a way and Twain made it happen, of course!

With a dash of Shakespeare thrown in, the production is a romp in mistaken identities and other humorous deceptions to tell us something more about love and money.  (We can never have enough of either.)

 

Lies do not stand the test of time and is love more important than money? It depends upon whom you ask.

Other cast members are Alayna Theunissen as Cecile Leroux (Marie's sister), Justin Beland, Anne Shively, Justin von Stein and Beverly Gholston.

More production crew members are Eleanore Tapscott, producer; Joey Pierce, director; Margaret Chapman, properties; Allison Gray-Mendes, set dressing and

Adam Konowe, lighting.

 

Michael Page was fight choreographer; Sue Pinkman designed hair and makeup; Robin Worthington was wardrobe coordinator; Russell M. Wyland was in charge of rigging; Alan Wray and Crystina McShay, sound.

Melissa Dunlap and Micheal J. O’Connor are stage managers.

What:  Is He Dead? As adapted by David Ives 

When: Now through June 8, 2024, Wednesday - Saturday nights, 8 p.m.

Where: Little Theatre of Alexandria, 600 Wolfe St., Alexandria, VA 22314

Tickets: $21 (weeknights) and $24 (Saturday night) + $3 fee/ticket. 

Audience: General

Duration: About 2 hours with one 15 minute intermission

Public transportation: Check the Metro and Dash bus websites. Dash is free to ride and has routes which are close to LTA.

Parking: is free on streets and at Capital One Bank at Wilkes and Washington streets, a block away. Paid parking is available at nearby garages.

For more information: 

Box Office: 703-683-0496; Main Office, 703-683-5778 or boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com.

patricialesli@gmail.com