`ASSASSINS' TAKES SHOTS AT AMERICA'S VIOLENT PAST.Byline: Victoria Giraud Special to the Daily News ``Assassins,'' playing as a weekend matinee by the Conejo Players, is a powerful satire wrapped in Stephen Sondheim's biting but comical words and music. The play, which explores the American psyche and our proclivity pro·cliv·i·ty n. pl. pro·cliv·i·ties A natural propensity or inclination; predisposition. See Synonyms at predilection. [Latin pr toward violence, is a dark comedy about nine assassins - from John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald Noun 1. Lee Harvey Oswald - United States assassin of President John F. Kennedy (1939-1963) Oswald - who've killed or tried to kill American presidents. To further shock you, the earsplitting ear·split·ting adj. Loud and shrill enough to hurt the ears. See Synonyms at loud. Adj. 1. earsplitting - loud enough to cause (temporary) hearing loss deafening, thunderous, thundery sounds of gunshots are used liberally throughout the play. Establishing the tone right away during a song proclaiming that everybody's got a right to their dreams, an ice cream man (the capable Lorry Faulkner) pulls guns from his cart, not ice cream, while persuading the cast of assassins that firearms will solve their problems. As the play unfolds, each assassin is examined satirically. Beginning on a somber note, John Wilkes Booth (an engrossing performance by Justin Lees-Smith) is credited with starting the trend. Tony A. Briant, with his excellent voice, plays The Balladeer, acting as a singing narrator-commentator throughout the play. He asks Booth, the actor, if he killed the president because of bad reviews, pointing out that Booth paved the way for others. Some of it couldn't be more hilarious, especially the scene between the ditzy dit·zy adj. Variant of ditsy. ditzy or ditsy Adjective [ditzier, ditziest] or ditsier, ditsiest Slang Sara Jane Moore Sara Jane Moore (born Sara Jane Kahn[1] on February 15, 1930[2] in Charleston, West Virginia[1]) attempted to assassinate US President Gerald Ford on September 22, 1975 outside the St. (a brilliantly amusing portrayal by Mary Ann Tachco) and Lynette ``Squeaky'' Fromme (Jeannine Marquie sparkles in the role), who each made an attempt in 1975 on President Ford's life. Dressed in a Santa Claus suit, Scott Mansfield's rendering of the mad Samuel Byck, who made an attempt on President Nixon by hijacking a jet, was inspired. Gary R. Romm's charismatic and amusing portrayal of Charles J. Guiteau Charles Julius Guiteau (September 8, 1841 – June 30, 1882) was an American lawyer who assassinated President James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881. He was sentenced to death by hanging. , killer of President Garfield, was memorable. Charles Padilla, as the dyspeptic dys·pep·tic adj. 1. Relating to or having dyspepsia. 2. Of or displaying a morose disposition. n. A person who is affected by dyspepsia. Guiseppe Zangara who tried to shoot down President-elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt, brought a great voice and a certain flamboyance to the role. THE FACTS WHAT: ``Assassins,'' music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by John Weidman. WHEN: 2:30 p.m. today, July 6-7 and July 13-14. WHERE: Conejo Players, 351 S. Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks. COST: $5. INFORMATION: (805) 495-3715. CAPTION(S): Box Box: THE FACTS (see text) |
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