PORT TOWNSEND — A determined cadre of women is about to wield one powerful weapon.
Comedy.
Ten rounds. Tonight. Downtown.
“Humor in Paradise: An Evening of Amusing Treats by Peninsula Women” pulls into the Pope Marine Building at Water and Madison streets at 7:30 p.m., with admission at $15, though no one will be turned away for lack of that sum.
This first-time event, co-produced by local thespians Marcia Perlstein and Sheila Khalov, is a benefit for the Paradise Theatre School of Chimacum, which had to shut down last year.
Jefferson County is requiring building-safety upgrades that will cost about $50,000, according to Paradise co-artistic director Pattie Miles Van Beuzekom.
That’s serious money, of course.
But the Pope Marine production is not at all serious.
Perlstein, a psychotherapist from New York City, will perform a piece titled “Down Home Therapy” about her inner process in the office.
Khalov has put together “Mary Frances O’Reilly,” a staged interview with the oldest Jewish woman in the world; she’s so named because her mother was tired of the same old Jewish girls’ names.
Iris Bracey and Susan Solley will perform Khalov’s creation and appear in a couple of other “Humor in Paradise” pieces.
The night starts with a welcome from Camille Hildebrandt, as well as these short monologues and sketches:
— “Trigger Happy,” a comic snapshot by Rebecca Redshaw and performed by Redshaw and Charlotte McElro
— “Candlelight,” a dialogue about life and love between two old friends, written by Maggie Brown and performed by Heather Dudley Nollette and Consuelo Brennan.
— “Guilt-Free Pleasure,” a significant struggle with sugar, written and performed by Deborah Wiese.
— “Carlessness,” the unexpected tragedy of a stolen car, written by Mara Lathrop and performed by Catherine McNabb.
— “Lunchtime Temp” — While the staff’s at lunch, the temp gets an unexpected call. It’s written by Redshaw and performed by Nollette.
— “Guillotine,” “14,” “Wall Street,” three prose-poems written by Sandy Diamond and performed by Brennan, Bracey and Nollette.
— “Hail to the Red, Blue and Purple,” an email conversation encompassing two opposing political views, written by Judith Glass Collins and performed by Brennan and Kristin Wolfram.
— “Wax on, Wax Off,” a bit about hair removal, written by Brennan and performed by Solley.
Advance ticket outlets for “Humor in Paradise” are the Port Townsend Food Co-op, 414 Kearney St., and www.BrownPaperTickets.com.
Of the comic revue, Van Beuzekom said the “Humor” women “have taken the ball and run with it.”
To learn more about the Paradise, which is known for locally written and provocative plays, visit www.theParadiseTheatreSchool.org or phone 360-643-3493.
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Features Editor Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5062, or at diane.urbani@peninsuladailynews.com.