As the semester draws to a close, Tina Howe’s “Painting Churches” offers a final opportunity to enjoy a play right here on campus.
Opening Friday, this comic drama tells the story of an eccentric Bostonian couple forced to move to their summer home in Cape Cod. Fanny and Gardner Church are joined by their daughter Mags in a two-act play that unfolds while the family prepares for the move.
Mags, a rising success in the New York art scene, has agreed to assist her parents on the condition she may finally paint their portrait.
As her father, once an acclaimed poet, slips further into senility, Fanny Church assumes the caregiver role with her silly hats and quirky demeanor.
The stage is set in their Beacon Hill home, which slowly reduces itself to nothing but the portrait and the family members in the final scene. Director Aaron Levin compares the play to an impressionist painting.
“In this play, it might be easy to get caught up in the tiny brush strokes and dots of color, Gardner’s dementia, Fanny’s fear and sadness, or Mag’s insecurities,” he said, “instead of stepping back to see the finished portrait: a family struggling to come to terms with the inevitable odysseys that life presents.”
The interweaving of complexity and humor gives “Painting Churches” a universal appeal.
“Every audience member will relate and connect in someway,” said Jennifer Shepard, who plays Mags in the three-person cast.
Shepard has been a common face on City College stages, appearing in five productions, but this is the first time she has worked with Levin.
She said he brings a unique element to the stage. “He is probably one of the most collaborative directors I have worked with, taking in the actors’ instincts, and trusting us with those while sticking to his own vision.”
Glory Lamb (Fanny Church) also appreciates Levin’s vision, adding that he has strong comedic foresight. Lamb, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, has returned to the local stage after a 30-year break.
She credits the director for her participation in this production. “I wouldn’t have auditioned for this if it weren’t for him,” she said.
For Richard Bourain, it was the role that attracted him. “The play intrigued me,” he said. “The character (Gardner Church) just kind of fits me, and I fit him.”
Although Bourain jokingly adds he is not losing his mind, as his character is.
Levin said he is very satisfied with his Church family and grateful to have the opportunity to direct at City College.
The play is a homecoming for Levin. A former student of the theater arts department, Levin was Outstanding Production Student in 1990, and Student of the Year in 1991.
Returning to the area from New York, Levin is currently the theatre manager of The Majorie Luke Theatre at San Barbara Junior High School.
“I am enchanted by the play,” Levin said. “It has depth, sadness, humor and love. It makes for a very nice two hours.”