Murphys Creek 'Fish Story' a real catch 

By LISA MILLEGAN 
Modesto Bee, August 23, 2004 

MURPHYS -- Think your parents are a bit nutty? Meet George and Zee of Murphys Creek Theatre's summer season finale production, "A Fish Story: The One That Got Away." 

He's a beer guzzling sexist who believes his National Rifle Association membership gives him a virtual license to kill. She's a champion worrier who thinks a common cold can lead to collapsed lungs. It's no wonder that their teen-age daughter Annie wants to escape. 

When an attractive injured backpacker unexpectedly shows up at the family's remote mountain cabin, Annie sees a possible way out -- if her parents don't shoot or smother him to death first. 

Award-winning playwright Jon Tuttle has a sharp sense of humor and a keen understanding of family dynamics. As directed by Graham Scott Green, an old friend of Tuttle's from college, this West Coast premiere production is a funny, engaging yarn. Though Tuttle wrote the play almost 20 years ago (it was previously staged in New Mexico and South Carolina), it still feels refreshingly contemporary. 

You couldn't get a better venue than the gorgeous Cornelia B. Stevenot Performing Arts Center, a secluded outdoor amphitheater at Stevenot Winery. The site is surrounded by rolling hills, vineyards, oak trees and ponderosa pines with a stunning nighttime view of the sparkling stars. 

While the director maintains a light tone through most of the show, the production isn't all laughs. We learn fairly quickly that the family has recently been through a crisis that makes it difficult for members to relate to each other. 

In the second act, tears flow as family members confide their pain. It's the weakest part of the production because the heightened emotions feel forced. 

The otherwise talented cast is much more adept at the humorous, lighter scenes -- at least they were on opening night Friday. 

Leading the way in comic skill is Mitch Hrdlicka, who plays George. After first holding backpacker Frank hostage, he gets him drunk, then prods him for fishing tips while casting lines using beer cans as substitutes for actual fish. His (drunken) impersonation of a fish's life from birth to death is priceless. 

It's impossible not to laugh when Terry Richardson's Zee predicts dire consequences for everyone who doesn't follow her loving advise. As an example, she won't let Frank sleep in too long lest he choke on his own saliva. 

Davey Wagner wins the audience's affections as the sweet but exasperated backpacker, who idealizes the carefree lifestyle detailed by Jack Kerouac in "On The Road." 

Bret Harte High senior Stephanie Kramer turns in a confident, sophisticated performance as tomboy Annie. 

As an aid to audience members in the back rows, the sound could be a tad louder. 

The 1970s-style cabin, constructed by Kramer, Green, Mike Clarke, Leland Thompson and Jeff Davidson, fits in well with the wooded setting. 

The cast maintains a high energy level throughout the show. 

"A Fish Story" may be a tall tale but Green's brisk pacing makes it feel short.