Photograph by June Cuaresma
Axel Parker and Blythe Thomas
Conserving Melissa
By Tom Jacobson
Directed by Megan Murphy
For most women, a diamond solitaire ring is enough to set a wedding date, but Gunnar further encourages his art conservationist girlfriend Cherise to take the plunge by presenting her (that is, her museum) with a mummy. But instead of obsessing over invitations, her wedding dress and what awful color to subject her bridesmaids to, Cherise instead devotes all her energies into conserving the dead woman, who Gunnar names Melissa. A world premiere by LA playwright Tom Jacobson, Conserving Melissa is a funny romance with mysterious strangers, even more mysterious events, shenanigans and a happy ending. This is the latest offering from the three-year-old Renegade Theatre Experiment, a South Bay company that's already received notice from the press for its bold, unconventional productions.
KAREN MCKEVITT
Renegade Theatre Experiment, BENSON THEATRE, BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREPARATORY, 895 EMORY AVE., SAN JOSE. THROUGH AUGUST 14. THURS-SAT 8 P.M.; SUN 2 P.M. $12-18. TBA DISCOUNT. CALL (408) 351-4440 OR VISIT www.renegadetheatre.com.
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