God’s Favorite doesn’t come any better when a new thespian recognizes a regular visitor

By David Young
It doesn’t come any better than this? How often have I thought that while watching a performance at the Ancon Theatre Guild?

 Yet, again and again,  they go on to prove me wrong.

This time around pressures from many directions kept me away from the opening performance of God’s Favorite, so I opted for the dress rehearsal, which meant missing the social whirl around the porch  bar  of the venerable theatre building. It also meant watching a Neil Simon comedy without a packed audience to provide the spontaneous laughter to alert you to the fact that the hearing must be slipping, as you didn’t quite get that line.
Last night, (February 17) I joined half a dozen friends of the Guild and director Carlos Williams and producer Gale Celucci, to watch the cast reach the moment of truth following uncounted hours of memorizing lines, rehearsing pitch, practicing entries and exits, and wondering if it’s all going to go over.
They needn’t worry. "It doesn’t come any better."

My laughter, prompted by the well played lines came long and loud without even the stimulus of the pre show warm up at the bar on the porch. . The Simon lines highlighting the fortitude of a modern day Job proving to God that his beliefs would remain unshaken by disaster, are timeless, although I did wonder at one point if some of the younger members of the  audience in tonight’s opening performance will know who Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake were. Ah well, there’s always Wikipedia for a check back on film history, and if they haven’t heard of  Robert Redford and Paul Newman, they’re not real movie buffs.

Dan Heinrich as the suffeing Joe,  and Francis Icaza as Sidney Lipton, (God’s messenger) were perfect counterpoints …. along with the  drunken reprobate son David, played by Nicholas Miles. They were ably supported by those listed below who played  the family and retainers, unwittingly and unwillingly sharing the sufferings of the head of the household.

Did I mention  the missing  pre show warm up? Ah yes, but I didn’t miss the topper-up that usually comes with the between acts interval.

Cast member Colombino Headley treading the boards for the first time,  looked somewhat familiar. Familiar indeed, he is the one who usually reigns at the porch bar where the conversation waxes strong among theatre goers. While playing his part to a polished “T” he managed to spot one of his regulars and, in the first interval, while the usually  doughty back up team, were changing the set a charming red head  delivered,  a cold one  courtesy of the newly developed thespian … a warm touch to a perfect evening.

It doesn’t come any better, not even when you get back to the computer after a 19 hour day and find a carping note from a regular reader  with her regular ditty  about  typos. {jathumbnail off}
For the record, below are the people who will make your night out at the Ancon Theatre Guild a memorable one:
The Cast: “Joe”,Dan Heinrichs; “Ben”,Giancarlo Benedetti; “Sarah”, Hilary Hughes; “Rose” Diana Luz Parada; “David” Nicholas Miles; “Mady”, Nairobys Rojas; “Morris”, Colombino Headley; “Sidney Lipton", Francis Icaza.

The unsung back stagers: Luis Aquilar, Steve Barnett, Lily Koster, Guillermo Moran, Noris Rojas, Andres Clemente, and Brenda Scott, (who also came front stage to deliver the cool one.). Thank you all for your part in a wonderful evening.
Tonight ( February 17) is a sell out, but there are seats (for a $15 contribution) for Friday and Saturday this week, at 8 p.m. and a matinee at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Next week, the show will run on Thursday through Saturday February (24-26) at 8 p.m. Don’t miss it.