Fast Girls, by Diana Amsterdam, is a fast-paced comedy that reads very much like a classic 1980’s sitcom.
TheatreXtra’s final production of the year, Fast Girls plays Feb. 27 through Mar. 1 at 8 p.m. nightly with a 2 p.m. matinee on Mar. 1 in the David Spinks Theatre.
Set in 1988 New York City, the show focuses on Lucy, who just broke up with her long-term boyfriend Sidney. To deal with the break-up, she’s been filling her nights with one-night-stands, random flings and general promiscuity. This becomes a concern for her slightly over-neurotic friend and neighbour, Abigail. So much so that Abigail goes so far as to call Lucy’s overbearing mother Mitzi. Mitzi, rushes all the way from Florida to New York to see that Lucy marries a nice Jewish boy ASAP.
Director Kevin Goodyear is in his final semester of his BFA/BEd program and is set to graduate in May. He came across Fast Girls online and instantly fell in love with the high energy each character brought.
“I think the characters make this play what it is. I’m pretty sure that you could plop them down in any situation and it would make for a great time," he says.
Goodyear wanted an opportunity to direct for TheatreXtra as a “final exam” for himself as he departs the University of Lethbridge.
“In a way, this show highlights what I’ve learned here at school," Goodyear says, adding that he enjoys the idea of mounting a feature-length production. “If I want to be a successful drama teacher one day, I’d better know how to put on a play, and what a better place to get the experience than through TheatreXtra?”
While mostly a comedy, Fast Girls does have a few very truthful and touching moments.
“These were things I was especially interested in working on. I made it a challenge to myself to find the endearing moments in a silly comedy and let them shine.”
Fast Girls will make you laugh as it shows you what it means to be true to yourself.
Tickets for Fast Girls are available at the University Box Office (Monday through Friday, 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., or by calling 403-329-2616). Individual tickets are priced at $12 regular, $10 seniors/alumni, and $8 students. Tickets are also available online uleth.ca/tickets.