Theater Review - Crazy for You

The members of the Madonna Obsessive Support Group, in Ron Morris’ play of the same name, all cherish different pieces of music from the Material Girl. But if the group as a whole had a theme song, it would either be “Crazy For You” or “Justify My Love.”

Having its world premiere at Dad’s Garage Theatre, Madonna Obsessive Support Group considers a handful of people who define their lives based on the pop star’s dance mixes, press appearances and fashion choices. You don’t have to be fully versed in Madonna lore to appreciate the play, but it helps to have some familiarity to get jokes about the singer’s phony British accent or her “gold-tooth period.”

Morris’ play examines the modern phenomenon of living vicariously through mass media icons and could just as easily be about the overly ardent admirers of George Lucas, Michael Jordan, Jerry Garcia, etc. Madonna Obsessive Support Group offers a profile of those to whom “fandom” gives feeling, continuity and transcendence, which is missing from their own work, religion or family lives. Dad’s Garage finds both laughs and pathos in Madonna Obsessive Support Group, although it’s not exactly an immaculate production.

The virgin of the eponymous group is Justin (Jeremy Cudd), who’s taken aback to arrive at his first support group meeting in a New York apartment and find that Kevin (John Fischer) is the only other person present. Kevin assures him that other people share their “condition,” but Justin — who has “Live To Tell” tattooed in ornate letters across his back, keeps having second thoughts and rushes off to make mysterious phone calls.

Next to arrive is hot-headed Louise (Donna Wright), whose obsession manifests not in adoration but fiery hatred: “She eats at the back of my eyes!” Louise declares. Bespectacled, twitchy James (John Benzinger) is probably the least stable of the bunch. His theme song would probably be “Now I’m Following You” from Dick Tracy, and he has the restraining order and criminal record to prove it.

In between Kevin’s fitful attempts to get a productive discussion going, the characters flash back to past episodes that illustrate their relationships to Madonna and other people — most of whom are played by Scott Warren. At one point the play has a clever “montage” of memories connected around doors: Louise lip-synchs “Like a Virgin” as a teen; Justin is locked in a closet for wearing his mother’s clothes; James tends his apartment shrine when the police knock at the door; Kevin breaks into an old roommate’s apartment to recover a prized piece of Madonna memorabilia.

Distracted by a power outage and James’ cryptic hints at a “surprise,” the meeting turns completely upside down with the arrival of a mysterious blonde (Alison Hastings) who gives the group the chance to face their obsession and express themselves more directly than they ever dreamed. Hastings spends much of the play mute and behind a shut door, but strikes a vivid pose as a “lady with an attitude.”

Directed by Kate Warner, Morris’ play has plenty of snappy wisecracks, and given its light tone, it’s a shame that the action doesn’t move in and out of the flashback scenes more fluidly. At times, the show feels like the kind of sweeps-month sitcom episode with a celebrity guest: “What’s Isabella Rossellini doing here at Central Perk?” Playing Louise in a constant fit of pique, as if steam is issuing from her ears, Wright’s a particular crowd-pleaser.

At times, the script seems to be circling something it’s reluctant to fully engage. The members of the group are all borderline personalities, yet they get handled with too much care. Scenes where Louise meets a sympathetic bouncer, or James tries to finesse a gate-keeping elevator-operator, seem peripheral to the characters’ problems.

Benzinger gives James a rabbity, scene-stealing intensity, as when he asks for a cigarette, yet he handles it as if smoking is somehow alien to him. He injects his reminiscences about Madonna with a weird lyricism, yet people like James are no joke. Madonna Obsessive Support Group is playing at the same time as Horizon’s Boy Gets Girl, which illustrates the very real toll stalking takes on women who lack the insulating resources of rich celebrities.

Just when Madonna Obsessive Support Group experiences a second-act sag, it rouses itself to a hilarious, ingenious dance number set to one of the diva’s best-known hits. By turning Dad’s Garage briefly into a dance floor, the play sends its audience out on the highest possible note, despite the production’s persistent unsteadiness. Madonna Obsessive Support Group is often entertaining but only sporadically insightful. If it were a game of “Truth or Dare,” it would have more luck with the dares than the truth.

Madonna Obsessive Support Group plays through May 11 at Dad’s Garage Theatre Company, 280 Elizabeth St. Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. Sun. at 5 p.m. $12-$15. 404-523-3141. www.dadsgarage.com.??