“Perfectly Frank,” a comedy about love and lattes written by Charlie Birdsell and directed by Darren Hembd continues its run through March 10 at the Bremerton Changing Scenes Theatre.
The debut play of Birdsell, a local playwright and actor, takes place in the familiar city of Seattle with an even more familiar setting; a coffee shop. But Birdsell maintains the production is anything but predictable.
“This is the opportunity for theatre-goers to experience an original show where they don’t know the journey or roughly how it ends,” Birdsell said.
Enter Frank, a jaded yet earnest man in his dating prime that discovers a surprising pattern while ritualistically pouring over the engagement advertisements at his favorite coffee shop: every woman he dates ends up marrying his successor. Frank brings this to the attention of his friend Tony who then takes matters into his own hands, leaving Frank a spectator in his own life.
“’Perfectly Frank’ is a comedy about love, messing with things that perhaps shouldn’t be messed with and Frank trying to regain control of his own life,” Birdsell said.
The inspiration behind the play took place amongst Birdsell and his fellow acting friends as they gathered around the table prior to a show. A colleague brought up the concept and, as the friends discussed it, the idea embedded itself in Birdsell’s mind. With permission from the group he “took the idea and ran with it.”
The following morning, the only thing that remained of the prior evening’s discussion was the premise and a picture in Birdsell’s mind of Frank’s beginning.
“Other characters then started to talk to me,” he said. “They helped me write their stories.”
While “Perfectly Frank” was originally produced in May 2002 at the Burien Live Theatre as a Bill and Peggy Hunt Playwrights Festival submission, this is its first time it’s on stage for a full-run. Besides play writing, Birdsell, a Washington native, also participates in community theatre as an actor. He has appeared in numerous plays including “It’s a Scream” at the Bremerton Community Theatre and “Road to Mecca” at the Changing Scenes Theatre.
While Birdsell plans on continuing his acting and play writing (as you read this article he has multiple pieces in the works) for now he’s enjoying the fruits of his labor:
“To see it come to life and hear the audiences’ reaction I had to remind myself that I actually wrote it,” he said. “It’s one hell of a ride.”
“Perfectly Frank” runs at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 6 p.m. Sundays through March 10 at the Changing Scene Theatre 5889 SR 303 N.E. Suite 104, Bremerton,. Tickets are $12/adults, $10/students, seniors and military personnel. Info: (360) 792-8601.
