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Wil Bethmann, left, Wilfred Paloma, foreground, Zack King and Frank DiPalermo in Spice Girls attire for Diversionary Theatre\u2019s \u201cTo My Girls.\u201d (Xing Photo Studio)<\/p>\nIn JC Lee\u2019s cotton candy-colored comic romp \u201cTo My Girls,\u201d six gay men spend a weekend in Palm Springs filming lip-synced pop songs for social media, sipping cocktails, clubbing and lounging in the pool.<\/p>\n
But what should be a carefree celebration of gay life and friendship is more complex under the surface. Baby boomer Bernie, who owns the house, is a Trump voter who\u2019s fed up with political correctness. Millennials Curtis, Castor, Leo and Jeff\u00a0 \u2014 who have been friends for decades \u2014 discover the bonds of their relationship are fraying. And Gen Z invitee Omar defies expectations and categorization.<\/p>\n
The two-act play made its San Diego premiere on Saturday at San Diego\u2019s Diversionary Theatre under the playful and eye-popping direction of Jesse Marchese.<\/p>\n
There are some heartfelt and serious topics addressed in this play about finding commonalities and community, but the play\u2019s structure reminded me of an episode of the 1970s TV show \u201cThree\u2019s Company.\u201d<\/p>\n
One-liners, sight gags and sexual innuendo are churned out at a reliably steady pace, a crisis is introduced and then things wrap up neatly with a unifying lesson of foregiveness and togetherness. It feels formulaic, but fortunately there are multiple Spice Girls and Britney Spears dance numbers, some great costumes, wigs and go-go boots and lots of laughs to keep things fresh and lively.<\/p>\n
Wil Bethmann has an edgy insincerity and crumbling bravado as Curtis, a narcissistic, 37-year-old content creator who isn\u2019t as successful or young as he wants to be and can be unscrupulous in fulfilling his needs. Wilfred Paloma steals all his scenes as Castor, a flamboyant and frequently hysterical Starbucks worker who has been not so secretly in love with Curtis for years. In a bid to make Curtis jealous, Castor brings home from the nightclub the 20something Omar for an overnight hookup, but that misfires spectacularly.<\/p>\n
Wil Bethmann, left, Wilfred Paloma, foreground, Zack King and Frank DiPalermo in Spice Girls attire for Diversionary Theatre\u2019s \u201cTo My Girls.\u201d (Xing Photo Studio)<\/p>\n
Zack King is a standout with his likable, naturalistic performance as Leo, the smartest, most mature and selfless member of the friend group. Jocorey Mitchell, who San Diego audiences will remember from his professional debut in Cygnet\u2019s \u201cHot Wing King\u201d last spring, has a zen, comfortable-in-his-own-skin quality as Omar.<\/p>\n
Frank DiPalermo gets some great one-liners as Bernie, the lonely homeowner who dotes on his pampered Pomeranian, Sophia. And an endearing, heart-on-his-sleeve Luke Harvey Jacobs arrives late in the second act as Jeff, another old friend whose visit was delayed by a breakup with his boyfriend and a car accident.<\/p>\n
Mathys Herbert\u2019s scenic design wonderfully captures Palm Springs\u2019 iconic midcentury modern architecture with its sloped roof, concrete breeze block walls and space-age lighting. Danita Lee designed the eye-popping and frequently skin-baring costumes. Joshua Heming designed lighting and Remus Harrington designed sound. Cast member Luke Harvey Jacobs created the entertaining choreography for all the dance numbers.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo My Girls\u201d isn\u2019t a hard-hitting, issues-oriented play. It\u2019s a party to be enjoyed, and for those intergenerational LGBTQ community members who are reflected onstage, it\u2019s sure to hit home.<\/p>\n
\u2018To My Girls\u2019<\/p>\n
When:<\/strong> 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through Dec. 7<\/p>\n