Theater Review: Pines ‘Game’ for the ‘Show’
BY DOUGLAS GRAVES
Special to The Press
Life on the crew of TV’s hit “Game Show” looks like a lot of fun.
Behind the scenes, they are making showbiz sausage.
“Game Show,” written by Jeffery Finn and Bob Walton, continues in its Lehigh Valley debut through Aug. 21, Pines Dinner Theatre.
The July 8 opening night performance was seen for this theater review.
The Pines production provides an interactive chance for the audience to get in on the act and have a lot of fun in the process. Pro tip: Bone up on your trivia questions and answers before curtain time.
The play, directed by Oliver Blatt, is a fast-paced romp worth every laugh. Blatt also gets credit for the fantastic set design that gives every appearance of a working TV studio sound stage.
“Game Show” host Troy Richards (Patrick Phillip Becker) is perfect as a smooth and smarmy pitchman. When on air, he is one likeable guy. When the camera is off, he shows his true colors.
Then the star of the show announces he is stepping out of the limelight. The sausage-making kicks into high gear.
TV show producer Ellen Ryan (Amber Blatt) is brilliant as an ambitious woman with no qualms about who gets stepped on as she climbs the show business success ladder. Too bad that the last rung on the ladder is so slippery.
TV show cameramen Gerry Smith (Jaedon Muhl) and Joe Maguire (Maxwell Gorman) are terrific in their roles. They get lots of laughs as they try to keep things in focus.
As the TV show audience floor man, Steve Fox (August Matrisch) shines. Like Napoleon’s corporal with a marshal’s baton in his haversack, Fox is ever ready to be named the new star host of the game show.
Starry-eyed TV show assistant producer, Johnny Wilderman (Maxwell Gorman), portrays a full-throttle sycophant to game-show host Troy.
Kudos to Stacey B. Yoder’s costuming, which captures the on-camera glitz and off-camera casual-Friday atmosphere of a hard-working studio’s stars and staff.
“Game Show,” through Aug. 21, Pines Dinner Theatre, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown. Tickets: info@pinesdinnertheatre.com ; 610-433-2333