"Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad" - March 2009

Welcome to the first podcast for the New Embassy Theatre, a historic entertainment venue on the downtown mall in Cumberland in the hills of western Maryland.  These podcasts will let you know about all the events featured at the New Embassy, starting in this episode with the kickoff to the 2009 season, Arthur Kopit's farcical "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad," running from March 19-29.

Set in late 1950s Havana, the play features the eccentric antics of Madame Rosepettle, her infantilized grown son Jonathan, the bellboys she abuses relentlessly, the oversexed babysitter Rosalie, and Commodore Roseabove, owner of the biggest yacht in Havana's harbor.  While Madame Rosepettle secludes her son from anything in the outside world she doesn't want him to see (which is almost everything), Jonathan uses his homemade telescope to spy on Rosalie from their room.  When Rosalie tries to seduce him, Madame steps in to put an end to all that, while simultaneously pursuing the Commodore, driven by her own twisted idea of love.  By turns hilarious, moving, and disturbing, the Embassy cast will take you into a truly dysfunctional situation and bring you out the other side entertained and enlightened.  Daniel Cope and Linda Julien (pictured) portray the Commodore and the Madame, with Tom Shanklin as Jonathan, Chelsea Davis as Rosalie, and Charro McMillan and Richard Wydro as the bellboys.  Click the POD link above (wait a few minutes for download over broadband) to hear excerpts from the performance, plus an interview with Julien to get insights into the characters and their motivations.

Tickets for the show are $18 adults/$16 seniors and students.  Performances are 7:30 pm Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 2:30 pm Sunday.

Running time: about 18 minutes.