2008 Woodie Awards
'Boy Gets Girl' succeeds with strong performances
By Jenn Halligan
Issue date: 2/18/08 Section: Entertainment
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Written by Rebecca Gilman and directed by Harvey Rovine, "Boy Gets Girl" tells the story of Theresa Bedell, played by Tabitha Allen. Theresa is a successful New York City journalist for a cultural magazine. On a whim, she decides to go on a blind date with a man named Tony, played by Ian Potter. She accepts a second date, and after some consideration, breaks things off with Tony, saying that she is too involved with her successful career.
However, Tony does not take "no," for an answer. He shows up at her office, but when she restates her answer of "no", he gets angry. He sends her numerous bouquets of flowers and leaves phone messages on her home and work phones. The messages are not friendly, but threating.
Theresa decides to get the police involved after talking to her co-worker, Mercer (Eric Scotolati) and files a restraining order on Tony. Lieutenant Beck, played by Amanda Cowley, warns her that he may get even angrier. Terrified for her life, she begins to live with her editor, Howard (Mike Thatcher). Harriet (Olivia Weiss), her assistant, tries to help by giving her small gifts.
After a while, Theresa takes Lieutenant Beck's original advice: to leave New York City, create an entirely different name for herself and find a new job. The play ends with her introducing herself as Claire Howell, her new name.
Allen portrays Theresa exceptionally well. Theresa is a workaholic and shares little about herself to her co-workers. Tabitha Allen plays this accurately; she appears cold and domineering on the stage. The audience watches as her "tough" image fades away into fear and vulnerability. It is especially evident when she tells Lieutenant Beck that she feels as though she caused all of this somehow, when she didn't.
"It's really emotionally taxing," Allen said. "After the end of the show, it's like a downer." "It was really an eye opener to be on that side of it. It's something that you don't think about it, and it actually happens. It was really interesting to be on that side of it."
Potter, who plays Tony, makes the transformation from the awkward, nerdy computer specialist to the creepy stalker smooth and convincing. Potter manages to have the beginning character awkward, but still creepy, which foreshadows his eventual transformation.
"It was an interesting experience," Potter said. "I haven't really been able to put myself in such an extreme role that's so opposite from me. It was a good acting exercise."
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