YOU’LL WANT TO TIP THIS ROOM SERVICE
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Depression-era Broadway producer Gordon Miller (Derek Manson) discovers swell script by greenhorn scribe from Oswego (Dustin Eastman). Miller runs up huge hotel bill while rehearsing show on 19th floor. Hotel proprietor and brother-in-law (Phillip William Brock) in a panic – boss and auditor (Gregory Wagner) coming to check up on him. Director of show (Joe Liss) evicted! Moves in to Miller’s suite. 
Penniless scribe shows up, falls for sweet patootie (Jessica Noboa) and moves in with Miller. Business manager (the Runyon-esque Daniel Escobar) moves in! Then they all decide to move out – you know, skip the joint. Front-man for mysterious backer (Ron West) delivers check, but it won’t clear for days. Mayhem! Pandemonium! Mirth!
Directors Ron Orbach and Bjorn Johnson overcome off-the-cob, fluffy plot with fiercely well-timed and fast-paced frivolity. 
Snappy dialogue and screwball comedy keep us from focusing on drawn-out scheme. Pitch perfect casting, snazzy set (Victoria Profitt), cool costumes (A. Jeffrey Schoenberg) and hot hair (Kristen Shaw). Wise-cracking characters who defy penurious situation to put on a show actually inspire us during our own economic hardship. Hats off to Open Fist Theatre Company, you made me blow my wig and forget my troubles.
tonyfrankel @ stageandcinema.com
photos by Maia Rosenfeld
Room Service
scheduled to close March 12 at time of publication
for tickets, visit http://www.openfist.org/
