'Sunflower Town' humorous

The Bloomington Playwrights Project opened their 2000-01 season Friday evening with "Sunflower Town" - an ambitious piece from University of Iowa Masters of Fine Arts candidate Kara Hartzler. Hartzler's work examines a small town; nicknamed "Sunflower Town" because of the "higher quality of life" offered to its generations of residents, yet the play taps into the exact opposite of what this town is supposed to be and the dysfunctional relationships within.\n"Sunflower Town" is composed of a series of encounters between people, strung together by music and a police officer's report on the wrongdoing occurring in each situation.\nAlthough dotted with carefully crafted humor, the piece offers a rather sad commentary on personal interaction: the poor and sometimes inhumane way men, women and children treat each other -revenge, judgment, bitterness, seclusion, jealousy and their emotional repercussions. Each character harbors personal limitations, whether they originate from within themselves, others, their situations or their beliefs. The result is a sincere and touching exhibition of life's victims, trying to survive in an inept social setting.\nHartzler has been awarded the Iowa Arts fellowship and the 1999 Richard Maibaum playwriting award thus far in her career. But, as with many new plays, the script is not without its flaws. The crux of many of the scenes depends too heavily on the performers, which is a gamble from cast to cast. There are also pieces of dialogue that seem conversationally awkward, interrupting the flow of action. Such textual problems as these are easily remedied with time and rewrites. Fortunately, the Bloomington Playwrights Project is a valuable place and opportunity for works in progress, and none of these flaws are weighty enough to sink the show.\nThe cast has talented individuals who bring out the play's spirit beautifully despite its flaws, and with rumored very little rehearsal time under the direction of Sue Kim and assistant direction of cast member Eric Price.\n"Sunflower Town" relies on the performers because of its episodic nature, and the ensemble rises to the challenge of developing the show's unique personality. Particularly impressive characters come from junior Mary Hubbell Carothers, who appeared at the Bloomington Playwrights Project in 1999 in both "The Scrooge Variations," and "Angel of Lemnos." Majoring in theatre and drama, Carothers showcases a wide performance range - especially in her vengeful, gossipy hairdresser with a striking singing voice. Also worthy of mention is Candace L. Johnson, a theater graduate from James Madison University. Johnson exercises seasoned comedic timing and taps into the three-dimensionality of her characters.\nOther notable performances include those of seniors George R. Bookwalter and Kurt S. Schlachter, who master the physical mannerisms of characters three times their ages.\nBookwalter's "Pastor" is filled to the brim with humorous characterization, and Schlachter's dry, soft-spoken humor prove valuable to the ensemble. \n"Sunflower Town" is still growing for both the playwright and actors and will age well through its run. \nTickets available at the door or by phone at (812) 334-1188. Student tickets are $7. The show runs September 15-17, 21-24, 28-Oct. 1: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.