Peter Budinger

Married couples daydream about the oddest stuff together, but I bet the conversation between D.C. and Peter went something like this:
“More coffee? What if we did a play together?”
“Hmm, did you speak? Oh, we often work plays together. Yes please, I’ll have another cup.”
“Yeah, but what if we performed all the parts?”
“Hmm. Seems like we’d be pretty busy.”
“Yes, but think what we could do—and we could use dressers!”
“Hmm. We could, couldn’t we? You know what else we could do?”
“No. Yes. Tell me.”

The Mystery of Irma Vep was written by Charles Ludlum and first performed in 1986. Like the original production, there is a cast of only two: Peter Budinger and D.C. Scarpelli. This show is directed by Robert Love.

This is the stuff of which nightmares are made: bad memories and worse imaginings from childhood, pretending to be funny. The Marriage of Bette and Boo is directed by DC Scarpelli and Peter Budinger. Written by Christopher Durang, the show draws close parallels to his own troubled youth. For many, parts of the story are all too true—an upbringing immersed in Catholicism, eccentric relatives, and friends with crazy families.

There’s one advantage to being nescient about theatre and film; I don’t know what to expect. However, considering the cast, I predicted The Petrified Forest, written by Robert E. Sherwood and directed by Marti Baer, would be a musical comedy.

It’s a toss–up. If you can be bothered to go out for the evening and see the play, write to me and tell me your opinion. Here’s mine: Jacqueline Andersen, Coley Grundman, Alex Shafer, and Peter Budinger are tied for my Actor Most Enjoying Him/HerSelf Award, all for different reasons.

I cheated, just so you know. All reviews I have ever read were based on attending one performance. This time I interviewed 11 people, some more than once, went to several auditions and rehearsals, and attended Opening Night.

Company, directed by Gregg A. Klein, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, is playing at the Masquers Theatre ending Dec 16th. See www.masquers.org.