Prince George's Little Theatre Offers a Polished Performance With 'Born Yesterday'

Bowie Playhouse offers extraordinary entertainment with Garson Kanin’s classic comedy "Born Yesterday" which opened this weekend to start Prince George’s Little Theatre’s 53rd season. PGLT is one of four resident companies offering continuous entertainment at city owned and operated Bowie Playhouse in White Marsh Park.

Set in 1946, a year after the end of World War II, "Born Yesterday" tells the story of uncouth self-made millionaire junkyard tycoon Harry Brock who comes to Washington with his lawyer and entourage including his ex-chorus girl mistress Billie Dawn to buy some senators, including already on-the-take Senator Norval Hedges. His cynical lawyer Ed Devery suggests Billie might learn some social niceties and historical facts so Harry hires a reporter to prepare Billie for Washington society. Harry gets more than he bargained for and Billie acquires more than a touch of refinement from her reporter-tutor Paul Verrall.

PGLT’s production is smartly directed by Norma Ozur, who keeps the action smoothly paced and has assembled a terrific cast from top to bottom, drawing several stellar performances. Director Ozur also receives immense support from set designer Dan Lavanga and the crew assisting him. Also contributing greatly to this production are lighting designer Garrett Hyde and costume designer Linda Swann.

Defining anew the role of Billie Dawn is Mary Koster, whose consummate portrayal almost makes us forget the iconic Judy Holliday who created the role on Broadway and in the Hollywood film. Koster’s Billie transitions from deft comedian drinking gin and playing a tough gin game with Harry without a single wasted motion to a radiant woman eager to understand historical truths. Koster’s Billie is never a caricature but a survivor who sees humor in the human condition and conveys it with raw honesty and without a hint of nastiness.

More than holding his own is veteran actor and real-life practicing lawyer Sandy Irving as Harry Brock. Irving seems able to reach back over 60 years to create this smug gangster-like scrap-metal magnate who can buy anyone he wants and manipulate everyone in his entourage. Irving’s Brock is fearsome in his fury and his chauvinistic attitude toward Billie and perhaps even more so when we realize that his character with smoother edges might easily become a political power player today.

Completing the triangle is newspaper man Paul Verrall, well-played by Richard Koster. Immediately noticing the rare chemistry between Billie and Paul, I was amused to learn that this Billie and Paul are actually husband and wife Richard and Mary Koster who easily warm and brighten their every scene.

Dan Staicer creates a fully dimensional former respected lawyer Ed Devery who has become a scotch imbibing cynic as he was increasingly dominated by Harry. Tom Schneider as Eddie Brock conveys a latent rage buried under becoming reduced to little more than a servant by his cousin Harry.

Edd Miller delivers his expected thoughtful portrayal here as Sen. Norval Hedges. Phyllis Kay makes the most of her role as Mrs. Anna Hedges. Supporting players Rachael Howell as Helen the maid, Eddie Arredondo as a bellhop, Ken Kienas as assistant hotel manager, Ken Kienas as a barber and Leona Powell as a manicurist all contribute to the polished total production.

Performances continue weekends at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 1 when the single performance will be at 2 p.m. Single tickets or entire four-play season subscriptions can be purchased at the PGLT box office 301-937-7458 or www.PGLT.org.