Throughout life, someone always watches us. Sometimes, this can change our behavior, causing us to cover up any faults we do not wish others to see.
In \Bon App??tit and Other Tasty Morsels,"" director Brian Bizzell uses the idea of being watched as a common thread between three very different one-act plays, ""Bon App??tit,"" ""Downtown"" and ""A Water Bird Talk.""
""In all three pieces, the characters are being watched and have to be aware of the audience within their piece,"" Bizzell said.
""Bon App??tit"" is a short opera about famous chef Julia Child baking a cake for her cooking show written by Wisconsin's own Lee Hoiby. What makes this piece comical is the actress playing Child is really baking the cake on-stage, while singing about how to do it the entire time.
""It was nerve-racking to bake on-stage,"" said Rebecca Olthafer, the actress who plays Child. ""On opening night, my hands were shaking, and I thought to myself, my hands can't be shaking if I'm working with all this food.""
Comedy ensues as Child and her two assistants try their best to keep any mistakes during the show clear of the camera's lens, but the live audience sees them all.
""Downtown"" is a one-act play written by Jeffery Hatcher. Here, cameras are used to keep three writers under the close watch of those around them. They have drinks at an upscale restaurant and gossip among themselves. Eventually, their gossip causes them to turn on each other, but soon all is forgiven.
""The writers are watched the entire time, much like a sketch comedy,"" Bizzell said. ""In the end, the camera pulls back and the whole scene is revealed.""
The ongoing question in this piece, ""Is it time?"" is actually asking when the camera will turn off, adding a bit of suspense to the play, making the audience wonder what will happen when it actually is time.
""A Water Bird Talk"" is an opera by Dominick Argento. Cameras watch as a middle-aged man sings about water fowl at a women's club as his wife looks on. The man seems troubled and-once the wife storms out-goes into a wild explanation of how hard it is to live with her. At the end, he leaves the stage dejected. His performance makes this a darker play, as you watch him unravel before you.
""In opera, it is common for women to go crazy and tell their truest feelings through this type of insanity, but for men, that's not a role they've ever taken on,"" said Daniel Plummer, the actor who plays the middle-aged man.
Whether we are on television, giving a speech or simply going about our daily lives, someone is always watching us. Each of the characters in the play overcomes the pressures that the camera puts on them, creating a rewarding theater experience. ""Bon App??tit and Other Tasty Morsels"" provides something for everyone and makes the idea of watching other people a pleasant one.
