Body Awareness

final family portrait

The Wilma Theater, located at 265 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, Pa., is producing the Off-Broadway comedy Body Awareness through February 5, 2012.  It is a multi- layered comedy that has you laughing from the onset but grabs hold of your intellect and takes it along for a breathless ride. Dustin Ingram gives an extraordinary performance as a young man who is suspected of having Asperger’s syndrome. His initial outbursts are chilling. As Body Awareness Week in Shirley Sate College progresses, he slowly develops a tenuous willingness to accept himself with potentially disastrous results. Grace Gonglewski portrays Phyllis, a professor of psychology at Shirley State College. She sets up many of the laugh lines but her character is a study in contradiction. Those willing to look beyond the laughter, will be intrigued to discover the prestigious psychologist brimming with insecurities. Mary Martello has always been a consummate actor of many faces and it is fascinating to observe her begin her week  with zest only to end it with angst. Solely Christopher Coucill, portraying Frank Bonitatibus the guest photographer, undergoes no changes during Body Awareness Week. He is, however, the catalyst for several.  Set designer Mimi Lien beautifully accomplished the difficult task of fashioning three different locations on the stage which are used simultaneously.  With the help of outstanding lighting designer Thom Weaver, characters can freely move from a classroom, to a kitchen or a bedroom sight unseen. Falling snow on the skylight and outside the windows reminds all that the setting is winter in Vermont and adds a rough touch to a show that already packs quite a punch. For tickets or further information call 215-893-9456 or visit online at wilmatheater.org.