Truth is more interesting than fiction, particularly when it comes to Harvey Fierstein's play, "Casa Valentina."
The play is based on true events and tells the story about men in the early 1960s who get a vacation from almost every aspect of their day-to-day lives in the Catskill Mountains.
The regional premiere of "Casa Valentina" runs at The Edge Theater, 1560 Teller St. in Lakewood, through May 22.
The story of "Valentina" follows a group of heterosexual men who visit a small resort colony in the Catskills to engage in their favorite pastime --; dressing and acting as women.
"It's not really a comedy," said director Josh Hartwell. "People are going to come in expecting campy, but we're trying to honor these characters and their need to express themselves."
The show is a larger-than-average cast for The Edge, with nine actors, including Patty Ionoff, James O'hagan-Murphy, Luke Sorge, Haley Johnson and Warren Sherrill.
"As an actor, I love to be challenged," said Sherrill, who plays Albert and alter-ego Bessie. "It was especially challenging wearing the heels."
It was important that the actors be respectful of their characters' journeys, and Sherrill said he researched into the difference between transgender and a man who likes to dress in women's clothes to ensure proper portrayal.
"It's been an amazing and very educational process working on this show," he said. "You have to realize how brave it was for these people, especially in the early 1960s."
The show will be eye-opening for many audiences, and that's part of the draw for Hartwell.
"It's a different world than a lot of our audiences have experienced before," he said. "If people like great performances in a well-told story, this is a show for them."
For Sherrill, "Casa Valentina" highlights the continued importance of equality for all.
"It's about the struggle for equality," he said. "Audiences will come away understanding these characters have hard choices, but they would be miserable if they couldn't be themselves."
from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.comhttp://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Casa-Valentina-opens-at-Lakewoods-Edge-Theater,212181?branding=15
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