NFCT's 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' A Delightful, Dazzling Romp

NORTH FORK, NY - The North Fork Community Theatre never fails to wow.

Their latest spring production, "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," is a delightful, sophisticated and seductive romp that has audiences laughing out loud and cheering with delight for a pair of swindlers who manage to steal unsuspecting hearts with the grace of true grifters.

The show, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Jeffrey Lane, follows two charming con men as they compete in pursuing their beautiful prey on the French Riviera.

Director Laura Pearsall deserves a nod for her seamless execution of this witty and clever work. Pearsall said when she first saw the Broadway cast perform "Great Big Stuff" in the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, she was "hooked. The music caught me. It is catchy and lively. The characters are hilarious and the writing is clever," she said.

Indeed.

Jack Seabury, as the charming and ever so suave Lawrence Jameson, is a high-end swindler with savoir faire, who runs an upscale con game but feels his kingdom could be threatened by the Jackal, a new schemer on the scene. Seabury infuses his character with a yearning for romance that gives rich dimension the role, showing that even dirty rotten con men can have hearts of gold.

When he meets the irrepressible Freddy Benson, played to sheer perfection by Michael Hipp — whose rendition of "Great Big Stuff" is nothing short of a show stopper — the pair makes a bet over who will be the first to swindle an unsuspecting soap heiress out of her $50,000 fortune. Watching the duo onstage is a delicious escape — their acting chops are finely honed and the evolution of their relationship from sparring rivals to lifelong friends with a grudging respect for the other's scammer skills is great theater.

Producer Mary Motto Kalich shines as Lenore, and Heather Cusack, as Sophia, helps to convey the essence of women who turn to the French Riviera to find romance and dreams come true.

Manning Dandridge, a NFCT favorite, is a delight as Andre Thibault, Jameson's righthand man and also, chief of police. His romance with Muriel, played by the ever-talented Marguerite Volonts, reminds audiences that unexpected passion can surprise at any age — and happily ever afters can be only a heartbeat away.

Nancy DiGirolamo bursts onto the stage as spirited, gun-toting lass determined to marry her man. She's an actress that leaves a mark with stand-out performances on every stage and in "Scoundrels," is the catalyst that inspires the two con men to team up in an effort to thwart her intentions.

Kelsey Cheslock, as the naive ingenue Christine Colgate, delivers a performance that undoubtedly has audiences talking long after the show's final curtain. Her sweetness and utter lack of guile wins hearts and inspires Lawrence to find true love. Her character's big surprise makes for perhaps one of the best moments ever captured on the North Fork stage — and the last act literally raises the roof with its twists, turns, and laugh-out-loud hilarity.

Assistant director Jim Pearsall, musical director Karen Hochstedler and choreographer Nicole Bianco also deserve props, as does the set design and decoration, as well as costume, teams, for transporting a rapt audience to the glamour of the French Riviera.

The show is a witty, engaging and hysterically funny production with tender moments just the final touch of perfection.

The show runs through May 29, with shows on Thursdays through Saturday at 8 p.m. and matinees on Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Reserve seats here or call 631-298-6328.