Becomes a Woman--One of the Season's Best

     By Joseph Cervelli

It is amazing and sad that Betty Smith's vivid and extremely engaging 1931 play "Becomes a Woman" was never published nor produced. Well, until now that is, thanks to the ever wonderful Mint Theater Company's presentation at City Center Stage ll. 

So many of the Mint productions of shows have not been seen for decades and yet when you now see them are taken back by how apropos they are to today's times. 

The plays starts off in a rather light hearted manner at Kress's Dime Store chain. While the action here take place in Brooklyn the actual Kress's never opened in there. And two of the characters Leonard Kress Sr and Jr. who play prominent roles bear no semblance to the original owner Samuel Henry Kress who remained unmarried. The carefree atmosphere clearly becomes more serious in the next two acts and most definitely had to cause a startling sensation when it was written. 

The lovely first act set by Vicki R. Davis who has provided her craft for many past Mint Productions has a section of the store filled with artificial flowers and another with  a piano along with a counter with mounds of sheet music. When customers come in to purchase the music they can not only hear the song being played by the piano player Florry (Pearl Rhein) but also have a singer there performing what they choose. Not exactly the nicest person with a flippant personality Florry is envious of the younger and more alluring singer nineteen year old Francie Nolan (Emma Pritzer Price.) She is the main reason   so many of the young men enter the store. The petite Francie dressed in a stunning black dress with fringes not only has a lilting voice perfect to sing the songs of the times but is attractive enough to be asked out by many of the male customers. The play takes a rather unflattering view of the male gender. In Smith's eyes most are interested in basically sex and not much else. 

Francie beautifully played by Price (keep an eye open for this exceptionally fine young actor) is not a fool by any means but is a sweet and kind young woman dealing with both male customers who call her "baby" and a family life we are soon to see which is none too happy. She seems very vulnerable and is, but as the title suggests she indeed becomes a woman and learns the hard way how to deal with what happens to her. The other character who plays a more prominent role in the second and third acts is the very likable and kind Tessie (Gina Daniels) who has had misfortune with men herself. 

Without giving too much away, the second act takes place in the slightly rundown home of Francie where she lives with her mother Ma Nolan (Antoinette LaVecchia) totally domineered by her obnoxious police officer husband Pa Nolan (Jeb Brown). He is both verbally and physically abusive to her and soon his behavior towards Francie is abhorrent. Living in the home are her two unlikable brothers played by Tim Webb and Jack Mastrianni (both men play customers in the first act)  who bear the wrath of their vile father. Brown does a good job of show how callous his character is. He could lower the volume because the theater is small so his bombastic voice does become a bit piercing. Also living upstairs as a boarder, is the lovable Tessie who proves what a source of help and inspiration she is to Francie.

It is the third act that is the pivotal moment in the play in which we meet two other characters. Both of whom try to manipulate Francie, but it is here where she lives up to the title of the play. Her subordinate nature can no longer rule her. She knows she needs to be a strong individual for several reasons. 

Britt Berke has directed with such clarity and hard-edged honesty which is what the play intends. 

While the performers are all fine it is indeed the radiant presence of Price whose character goes through a difficult transformation that she becomes the shining star of this production. 

The play concentrates on the inner strength and fortitude to get thought difficult times with the help of even one or two good friends to get you through. It may not be family at all but friends who reach out and help to make you survive what feels like insurmountable difficulties.  And besides that you need your own inner determination which Francie is ingrained with. 

Bravo to the Mint for presenting among the finest shows of the current season. 

Photos: Todd Cerveris

Tickets are available at City Center Stage ll 131 West 55th Street.