(From left to right) Tillie Callie Stapleton (Tillie) and Joan Evans (Nanny). Photo by Chip Gertzog.
A group of creative minds and talented players at The NOVA Nightsky Theatre presented a Pulitzer Prize winning drama,”The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” by Paul Zindel, written in the style of Tennessee Williams. Directed by Jessie Roberts, the play takes place in 1971 in the Hunsdorfer home which was once a vegetable store. Those facts become material later as the play delves into the lives of a mother, her two children, and a boarder for whom she is caring—an elderly lady who is also the source of income for this dysfunctional family.
All of the actors are invested in their roles, creating a deep character study of each person’s flaws and stubborn, human frustration…the direction and flow was seamless and pertinent.
The play opens with Tillie, the ugly daughter, as her mother deems, discussing her science project for school. The effect of radiation, atom gamma rays, on man-in-the-moon marigolds. Tillie is played by Callie Stapleton as timid, kind, and pretty. She is able to deflect, or at least not reveal, her frustration about the barbs said about her. It is this quality that is resolute throughout the play. She is also captivated by her project, stating confidently, “Atom…atom. What a beautiful word.” Kinsey Robertson plays Janice, Tillie’s rather brutal competitor in the science fair.
Tillie’s sister Ruth, on the other hand, is a typical teen—spreading rumors, creating havoc, and breaking the rules. The fact that her mother’s favorite doesn’t help matters either. Clare Shannon as Ruth is quite the whirlwind as she takes over the room whenever she enters, placing the attention squarely on herself. The mother, Beatrice, seems to not want attention while also trying to get it. She is an alcoholic, narcissistic, and down right mean to everyone within spitting distance. Jaclyn Robertson, who plays Beatrice, owns this part, commanding like a steam train and removing all of the air from the room. All of the actors are invested in their roles, creating a deep character study of each person’s flaws and stubborn, human frustration.
The theatre is unique as you walk through and across the set to be ushered to your seat—the very set on which the actors will be mastering their craft in moments. The seats are up close and personal, offering an intimate experience, as a voyeur of sorts, but in a positive partnership of the audience with the team of actors. The lighting design and sound, led by Design and Technical Director Adam Ressa, set the desperate mood throughout the play. Everyone on stage (and I) held their breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. Even the sound of the telephone ringing increased the stress within the room, almost until it burst. The costumes by Carol Poppas created a sense of despair as the mother wore her nightgown all day and the old boarder, Nanny (Joan Evans), was in a pit of depression as she shuffled onto the stage. Evans encased her character in silence as she is verbally abused, but still communicating a smile to comfort Tillie, at times, and possibly herself. If Beatrice thought the kids were anchors, Nanny was the stalled boat.
This play is also a search for hope among the hopelessness all around, and allows Tillie to be the strongest ethos for that hope. She believes in her heart that anything is possible and she mildly shares her light on the family to show them the way.
Director Roberts (with Fosse Thornton as the stage manager) took full use of the entire stage for each act. While the characters dove deeper into angst, the direction and flow was seamless and pertinent. The miserly, self-indulged stress that rears its ugly head fully in the first act begins to subside as Tillie is embraced by her mother for perhaps the first time. In the end, Tillie’s hope is embraced by everyone. This play is a journey, not a destination, into the psychology of a dysfunctional family that does its best to simply survive each day.
Running Time: One hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
Advisory: Some adult themes not suitable for children.
“The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In -The-Moon Marigolds” ran June 13-30, 2024 at NOVA Nightsky Theatre, 1057 W Broad Street, Suite 216, Falls Church, VA 22046. For more information and tickets for upcoming events, go online.
