Batman without Robin? Tuesdays without Morrie? For some, the combinations might seem inconceivable. Gauging applause at last week’s Ringwald Theatre performance, the same standard holds for “Based on a Totally True Story” without a Mary Ellen.
In the Joe Bailey-directed version of Roberto Aguirre-Sarcasa’s play, that instrumental character was played by Dyan Bailey (no relation to the director.)
The play follows comic book writer and playwrite,Ethan Keene as he simultaneously begins two new journeys — one personal, the other professional. While in the infancy of a relationship with boyfriend Michael Sullivan, Ethan’s play, in which all the members of a family die, save the mother, is chosen to be turned into a feature film.
From Ethan’s writing struggles to his parents’ messy divorce, from his affectionate subway rides with Michael to the couple’s break-up over a Hollywood-blinded indiscretion, Mary Ellen is Ethan’s rock. Granted, the type of rock that brings personal baggage as relationship counseling. The type of rock that uses flamboyant persuasion to happily alter Ethan’s play into more of a sensationalized formula. And, yes, the type of rock consistently found sporting a head-set, “Ugly Betty”-esque glasses and diva-red accessories.
“I think she's the most fun character in the play,” Dyan Bailey said. “I was really glad that Joe asked me to do the part. She cares about Ethan. She wants to make money off of him, yeah, but at the same time, she wouldn't go and hang out with him at the pool if she didn't like him.”
Bailey, 34, a film editor by day, started taking improv classes just five years ago. While she had done some radio and theatre production in college, she didn’t begin acting until she earned herself a role in a local Planet Ant production.
Now a resident cast member of Go Comedy in Ferndale, Dyan Bailey enjoys not only the performance value of improv, but the small cast size as well. Usually working with a cast of six as part of her improv routine, Bailey enjoyed the intimate atmosphere and intensity of working on “Based on a Totally True Story,” with only four other cast-mates.
“Um, you get paid less,” Dyan Bailey said laughingly, joking about the difference between working on larger productions.
Happy for each new paying gig, she had fun working on a play focused on the LGBT community. She said she found a learning opportunity in being directed to think critically about her character’s actions and motives.
“For me,” Dyan Bailey said, “what I took away from it is just that some people aren't ready to be in relationships. If you can't talk to people about stuff that’s important to you, you're not going to go any further as a couple.”
Fortunately for her, the play offered not only a role, but a life-lesson.
“It's sad that today is the last day,” Dyan Bailey said, “because you spend like a month with people. It's a different dynamic with every show. That's part of the reason that I like doing it, because you get these new best friends for like three weeks or whatever, that you see all the time, and you get to know each others' lives and stuff. It's the backstage stuff that I like most, if not more than being on-stage, because it's just like those relationships that you make.”
As the Ringwald readies for “Hurlyburly” and “Die! Mommie! Die!,” the process begins again.
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