Joey Horton and Jayci Molnar in "The Boxer." Photo by Craig Erickson.

Photo by Craig Erickson.

  

The Boxer

by Matt Lyle

Presented by Collin Theatre Center

December 3 - 13

at Collin Theatre Center
Collin County Community College, Springcreek Campus, B-148 Alt Theatre
2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy
Plano, TX 75074
972-881-5809

$6-$8

8pm Wednesdays-Saturdays; 2:15pm Sundays and Dec. 12

The Boxer, playwright and director Matt Lyle’s labor of love, thrills on all accounts.

Perfectly staged by Collin Theatre Center in Collin College’s Black Box Theatre in Plano, Lyle’s justly acclaimed "silent film on stage" is a multifaceted homage to the silent-era films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. The story follows a lovable tramp, Velma, who pretends to be a man for employment during The Depression. She falls into a variety of hilarious scenarios based on her disguise, particularly when she agrees to train a woeful boxer for whom she harbors secret affections.

Jayci Molnar plays Velma with a tremendously gifted rubber physicality, animated eyes and a myriad of comical and pathos-inducing expressions. Molnar is always on, cavorting, pulling faces, and nailing the comic timing. This unique role requires quite a bit of dramatic heavy lifting, and Ms. Molnar pulls it off with aplomb.

Joey Horton as the boxer is a worthy opponent. Horton’s puny pugilist embodies the sad but funny soul and look of a pint-sized Baryshnikov, crossed with a banty rooster. Horton delivers wide-eyed sorrow in the role of the straight man with touching ease.

The rest of the ensemble is cleverly cast with players who throw themselves into their roles with passion and flair.

Scenic and lighting designer Craig "Yo" Erickson fulfills the vision of the play, transporting the audience into the shabby world of silent films. Art Deco designs for the stage, theater and set pieces enhance the overall look of the show. Robin Armstrong’s costume and makeup designs are appropriate to the time period, evoking the look of silent black-and-white films without resorting to boring drabness. The actors’ pale face powder and dark eye makeup serve the necessary emphasis of expression and communication in stunning fashion.

Lyle, a former Dallas playwright (by way of Stephen F. Austin University) who has relocated to Chicago, has a singular vision as the director, and it's a delirious delight. His play—which was performed in August at the New York International Fringe Festival with much of its original Dallas cast—incorporates live music and sound effects (marvelously done at CTC by pianist Becky Dobbs and sound effects master Johnny Sequenzia), plus video vignettes and montages (designed by Mark Kaufmann), guffaw-inducing chase scenes, ensemble dances and fight choreography with witty assurance and skillful dramatic chops.

Talk about a knockout.