I am entranced with Danielle Jorn's performance as the sad Aunt Bella in "Lost in Yonkers."
There are rare times I feel I'm in the presence of an actor truly inhabiting a character on stage, and Jorn reaches that summit in the Good Company Players production at the 2nd Space Theatre. What makes her performance even better is the strong ensemble cast backing her up with warmth and precision in this autobiographical Neil Simon play.
As Bella, aunt to the teen-age protagonists (the younger Arty, played by A.J. Barco, and Jay, played by Michael Gregory, pictured above with Jorn) who in the early 1940s are forced to move in with their fearsome grandmother, Jorn finds within her character the humorous threads that Simon intended, including her exaggerated absent-mindedness. (She sometimes forgets where she lives.) But Jorn also beautifully connects with Bella's deep loneliness and frustration. Doctors told Bella's mother that her daughter would never be more than a child in terms of mental capacity, and she's lived a life of diminished expectations. Whether Bella deserved that subdued adulthood is left up in the air in Simon's play, but in Jorn's accomplished hands, you certainly feel her character's ache at her life circumstances.
Director Karan Johnson knows the many strengths of her ensemble cast, and it's delightful to ferret out the small individual moments that make these roles so memorable: Peter Allwine's blustery Uncle Louie strutting about in tight tank-top undershirt; Max Debbas' fretful Eddie worrying about supporting his family; Debbie Walker's cowed Aunt Gert hissing out the last part of her phrases to comic effect.
Another standout in this talented ensemble is Patricia Hoffman, who breathes the appropriate fire into the character of Grandma without becoming one-note about it. (Her "I didn't cry speech" resonates with a palpable passion.) Her later scenes with Bella hint at the lifelong complexity of the relationship between these two codependent women.
Johnson's smooth and economical direction gives the show a crisp, streamlined feel. Cindy Thao's accomplished costume design has a quiet, mood-enhancing, understated feel. And I like Paul Henry's sensitive lighting design, which has enough emotional intensity in the right moments to give the play a heightened nostalgic feel. (It made me think that when it comes to memory, just about all of us have a full-time lighting designer working inside our heads.)
Though the heavy-hitting in the show is mostly handled by the adult characters, it's essential to have strong actors in the roles of Jay and Arty. Through their eyes we see an earlier time. It's always a delight for me when a young performer I've watched in the Good Company Players' Junior Company makes a deft transition to an adult show. That's the case with Barco, who is appealing and solid as Arty. I'm not as familiar with Gregory, who plays Jay, but this Clovis High School 10th grader has a likability on stage -- and an ability to project a slighty acerbic but sweet tone -- that's perfect for a Simon role.
Still, this is Jorn's moment to shine. There's something so kind about her portrayal. Warm and intense, she radiates in this role the kind of theatrical heat that could just as easily ignite in San Francisco or New York as in Fresno. Her performance as Bella brought tears to my eyes. She helps makes "Lost in Yonkers" a must-see.
There are so many strong performances in this production, but Dani Jorn is truly breathtaking. Do yourself a favor and see this one. :)
I agree with all if the above. I was also blown away by Max Debbas' portrayal of Eddie, I assumed the actor was middle aged until I found out after the show that he graduated from high school in 2006! This young man really demonstrated true character immersion. I can't wait to see him in something else!
Was delighted to read the glowing review for the wonderful Danielle Jorn. I consider her Bella probably the best performance I have witnessed in over 25 years of many remarkable performances by the members of our beloved GCP family--and I'm not even related to her!
All in all, a lovely show by an excellent cast.