Reviewed by Tom Jones, September 6, 2014
Tammy L. Meneghini Becomes Nine Different Women in “The Great Goddess Bazaar” at Fort Collins’ Bas Bleu!
Don’t let the title throw you off! “The Great Goddess Bazaar” is actually a mesmerizing one-woman show where Boulder actress Tammy L. Meneghini virtually inhabits the persona of nine different woman – just by changing shoes!
Meneghini arrives on the stage of Bas Bleu Theatre in Fort Collins with an impressive resume of awards and honors. She currently serves on the faculty of the University of Colorado-Boulder, Department of Theatre and Dance and is a certified Fitzmaurice Voicework Associate. She has performed the role of Mistress Quickly in “Merry Wives of Windsor,” performed in“Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2” at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, and is soon to reprise the role of Maria Callas in “Master Class” in Boulder next month.
In “Great Goddess Bazaar” she begins as a multitasking woman who has programmed every minute of her life, partially perhaps to amaze others with her professional life and charity work! This busy role provides the link as Meneghini weaves tales of a host of other women much to the delight of the supportive audience! The various segments touch a variety of human emotions, including rage, courage, love, disgust, laughter, grief, wonder, and peace.
She changes only her shoes and voice inflections to become a Broadway Diva, a grieving widow, a drowning swimmer, a rough street lady, a raped soldier, and others. She is instantly believable as each person, and leaving the audience wanting more. Each segment is brief – the total performance is slightly more than an hour of non-stop entertainment!
Jane Page has directed the show with great care! She is currently head of the MFA/Directing program at the University of California – Irvine. Her extensive directing experience has taken her across the globe, receiving numerous accolades for her work. She directed “”Bazaar” at the 2011 Edinburgh International Fringe Festival.
“Great Goddess Bazaar” is nine segments of Playwright David Rush’s 30 monologues in “Women of Choice.” Rush’s plays have been produced extensively at Stage Left, Mark Taper Forum, Manhattan Theater Club, and others. His plays have won and/or placed in national contests and received a variety of Awards. His text, “A Student Guide to Play Analysis” is used by many colleges across the United Sates. Meneghini collaborated with Rush to tailor some of the ”Goddess Bazaar”segments specifically with the actress in mind.
“Great Goddess originally ran in Denver, where it was awarded the Denver Post Ovation Award – Best Solo Performance. Meneghini performed and produced the show at the 2011 Intentional Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, United Solo Festival, New York, and Stratford Circus in London. It continues to play at theaters and universities across the country.
Meneghini is an actress to be reckoned with! She grasps the audience’s attention, never releasing her hold until the stage lights are dimmed at the conclusion of the performance.
At the performance I saw, there was an “After Show” discussion under direction of Bas Bleu Founder, Wendy Ishii. She encouraged audience members to ask Meneghini whatever they wished to know about herself, the show, etc. The audience was so enthralled with the performance, that only a handful left the theater prior to the “after show” talk!
“The Great Goddess Bazaar” runs through September 13, and is followed by another one- woman performance “The Year of Magical Thinking” September 18 through October 5, featuring Wendy Ishii. “Goddess” and “Magical Thinking” combine as the theater Season Opener – beginning its 23 year of providing theater magic in Fort Collins!
For information:
Bas Bleu Theatre Company
401 Pine Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524-2433
Telephone: 970/498-8949
Website: www.basbleu.org