My overall impression
Highlighted with brilliant acting, writing and directing MEET AND GREET is bound to be one of the biggest hits at this year’s Fringe. The premise is we are in a casting office in the San Fernando Valley, present day. Four actresses have been called in for one part during pilot season, and each one appears to be at the end of her acting rope and really needs the job.
Each is greeted by a catty, young, gay male CASTING ASSISTANT (Paul Iacono) who seems to be more than happy to feed the egos of the needy actresses. As he escorts each actress into the off stage casting meeting, the other three reveal much about their lives, needs, and many shortcomings.
The four actresses (Carolyn Hennesy, Vicki Lewis, Teresa Ganzel, and Daniele Gaither) are all fabulous, generating laughs galore from the brilliant script laden with Hollywood TV and film references by Stan Zimmerman (who also directs), and Christian McLaughlin. The audience roared at every reference from the ladies, this being Hollywood and the in-jokes often everyday occurrences in most of our lives.
As each woman is called in to meet the off-stage casting staff, their competitive edge takes over and the four women pull out all stops to get the part and earn their 15 minutes of fame, or 12 minutes on basic cable with commercials. The differences in their training, class (or lack thereof), and personality bounce off each other at breakneck speed, taking the audience along for the joy ride.
Wonderful spot-on character costumes by Kevin King enhance their individual personalities and personality quirks.
And the clever twist at the end will no doubt take you by surprise!
