Northamptom Community College Theatres premiere of "Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties" is jolting, raw and hilariously funny. The play in Norman Roberts Lab Theater at the Bethlehem Township campus through Jan. 22, is a raucous roller-coaster ride through the lives of five very different New York City women, coincidentally all named Betty.
At first all seem stereotypes, but as they come together to create a piece of devised theater, they find themselves rejecting the roles into which they have been cast.
Meaghan Lawler is Betty 1, a rich Upper East Side woman in an unhappy marriage. Lawlers Betty is brittle and taut with rage simmering just below the surface. Lawler gives Betty a palpable joy as she channels her anger toward her husband at a boxing gym. Rai Guatno shares the role,
Katelyn Morgan is Betty 2, a lonely, uptight woman in a sexless marriages. Morgan is wonderfully expressive as the reserved Betty who discovers her vagina in a mirror and begins a journey to take charge of her own life, joyously bringing out her inner lion.
Azelia Dos-Santos is Betty 3, bi-sexual and wannabe "voice of her generation" who quits her dead-end job at Sephora after seeing a Shakespeare play. Dos-Santos Betty is self-absorbed, confident and bursting with energy as the force that brings all five Betties together to create a piece of "thea-tah" inspired by Pyramus and Thisbe, the play within a play in "A Midsummer Nights Dream."
Lydia Walker is reserved, but appealing as Betty 4, a quiet lesbian who yearns to take Betty 3 for a ride in her truck.
Megan Wolfes Betty 5 is a "gender-non-conforming masculine-presenting female-bodied individual," who recently got out of rehab and runs a boxing gym. Wolfes Betty is also reserved but blossoms as she unexpectedly connects with Betty 1.
As these women interact across 19 scenes, they learn about sex, love and being true to yourself from each other in humorous and moving ways. The talented cast joyously portrays the womens raw emotions and experiences that are often never expressed publicly.
Smartly directed by Bill Mutimer, "Collective Rage" is a fast-moving 90 minutes long. Mutimer draws wickedly enjoyable performances out of the entire cast.
The understudy Betties are played by Mina Price and Melisa Munroe, and all the Betties join the five leads on stage at times.
The minimal props and sets by Brett Oliveira move on and off stage effectively, while each scene is prefaced with a blunt title on a screen above the stage (including the play's very long and very graphic full title).