Black Comedy

"Tops on my list...

"Eulogy" is a wry commentary on dying.

ater troupe, Nell's Girls, and has
worked on The Vagina Monologues and
Skylarks at the University of Detroit
Mercy.
ulogy: What I Would Have
Said Given the-Gifi- of
Dorry Peltyn, who divides her time
Articulation sounds as if it
between Michigan and New York,
has the makings of tragedy
portrays the officious and uncaring
— an 85-year-old stroke
aide who intolerantly tends to Benyas'
patient unable to commu-
character.
nicate and confined to a
Her most recent roles
nursing home; an uncar-
were at Detroit Repertory
ing aide charged with
in In the Sweet Bye and
attending to her; and the
Bye and at Meadow
patient's arch rival, who
Brook Theatre in The
sets off fireworks when
Diary of Anne Frank.
she is brought into the
"This role is fun
same room for an extend-
because it's so far from
ed stay.
the way I am," says
Actually, Daphne
Peltyn, who studied the-
Hull's play, running
ater at Brandeis
through June 24 at the
University and did some
Detroit Repertory
summer stock but didn't
Theatre, is a comedy,
pursue acting fully until
albeit dark. Set in a small Shirley Benyas
her children were grown.
town near Appalachia,
Among her recent
the action is enlivened by
work found in New York
the coherent spirit of the
have been walk-on parts
stroke victim, personified
in the TV series Sex and
in the play as another
the City and the film
cast member who gives
People I Know, with Al
voice to the mind of the
Pacino and Kim
patient's enfeebled body.
Basinger.
Concentration is very
Peltyn, happy with
important for the charac-
opportunities to work in
ters," says Shirley Benyas,
both cities, came to
who portrays the
divide her performance
"Woman in Bed," a
time because of her hus-
patient who is dying to
band's career in the auto
tell off the people around
industry.
Dorry Peltyn
her.
"I like the nontradi-
"It's not a downer
tional casting at Detroit
because we're talking about the lives of Rep," Peltyn says about the policy of
the characters and what they have
ignoring race in assigning parts. "In
done. The lines are quite funny. The
this way, we just see people as people."
audience will think it's heading one
Directed by Ray Schultz, the play
way and then it turns out to be some-
also features Barbara Busby, Annie
thing else."
Cross, Lea Charisse Woods, Takeshia
Benyas, who never leaves the stage
Ellis and Ebony McCain. D
during Etiology, has been performing
in local productions for many years.
She has appeared with the Jewish
Eulogy runs 8:30 p.m. Thursdays
Ensemble Theatre in Beau Jest and
and Fridays, 3 and 8:30 p.m.
Grown Ups. Her stage career started
Saturdays and 2 and 7:30 p.m.
with singing, and she has been cast in
Sundays, through June 24, at the
Follies and My Fair Lady for the
Detroit Repertory Theatre,
Michigan Opera Theatre.
13103 Woodrow Wilson,
Benyas recently has been a presence
Detroit. $15. (313) 868-1347.
in women-focused productions. She
has helped organize an all-female the-

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