6A | SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2018 | SIUSLAW NEWS
A Review of
Class Act Theatre’s
“Proof”
by Burney
Garelick
R
eading and writing were a
breeze for me, but arithmetic
was my nemesis. Algebra was anath-
ema. Not so for the protagonist of
“Proof.” Catherine (Cara Beere) is a
mathematical wizard, but it scares
her. It is her burden of proof.
“Proof,” a beautifully written play
by David Auburn, scored accolades
on Broadway in 2000 and was made
into a movie in 2005. “Proof ” takes
the stage this weekend and next at
Class Act Theatre (CAT), 509 King-
wood St., the final play in CAT’s
three-year lifespan.
CAT’s closing is amicable. Propri-
etors Rosemary and David Lauria
are setting off for new adventures,
but their love for theater will surely
bring them back to town.
The best stories are about human
relationships, and “Proof ” is about
fathers and daughters, teachers and
students, sibling rivalry and lusty
romantic entanglements. While
“Proof ” is pockmarked with math-
ematics, it is not about math. There
are no equations, theories or algo-
rithms to memorize and no test to
take.
CAT’s stage is transformed into
the comfortable back porch of an old
house on the campus of the Univer-
sity of Chicago.
Recently deceased Robert (David
Lauria), Catherine’s father, was a
mathematical genius, recognized far
and wide, until he suffered a setback
— incurable dementia. Like a dead
man walking, Robert appears alive
and well in flashbacks with Cather-
ine who put her life on hold to care
for him 24-7.
Father and daughter ramble about
the old messy house, cold in winter
with banging radiators, squabbling
CAT TO NAP AFTER ELEGANT ‘PROOF’
over too much pasta and borrow-
ing tons of library books to find
the alien code in the Dewey Dec-
imal System. Even as they revel in
each other’s company, Catherine
is terrified that she’ll inherent his
illness.
A remission in Robert’s dementia
delights Catherine, who enrolls at
Northwestern University to study
math. But the reprieve doesn’t last,
and in the most poignant moment
in the play, we see Robert regress,
sending him back to filling note-
books with gibberish and sending
her back to care for him.
Catherine is 25 when her father
dies. Her grieving is complicat-
ed — she is exhausted, depressed,
angry and crabby. We share her
visceral feeling by being glued to
our seats.
When the tension becomes un-
bearable, Hal (Alex Grady) streams
in like geeky sunshine. He is Rob-
ert’s former student, a young math-
ematician looking to make his own
fame. He is reviewing Robert’s
notebooks just in case there is
something of value.
Eventually, Catherine loosens
up and romance buds and con-
summates. Her bliss allows her to
share a special notebook with her
paramour.
The fourth character is Claire
(Tamara Szalewski), Catherine’s
sister, who arrives from New York
for the funeral, to sell the house
and to take Catherine away to
Manhattan.
Catherine’s animosity is as pal-
pable as her depression, while
Claire treats Catherine with kid
gloves as though she is as dement-
ed as their father.
The crisis comes after Hal reads
the special notebook and discovers
what he believes is Robert’s most
elegant proof and Catherine says
she wrote it — but neither Hal nor
Claire think she is capable of such.
All four actors are brilliant, so
intensely absorbed in their char-
acters that we share their intimacy,
and the world outside the theater
ceases to exist.
Lauria, an acting powerhouse,
proves once again with poetry and
humor his command of a difficult
character.
Beere, a Florence newcomer in
her first major role, is astonishing,
swirling a kaleidoscope of moody
blues and unfulfilled dreams into
memorable moments.
Grady performs with such en-
thusiasm that we relish his every
entrance and long to hear his math
geek rock band.
Szalewski is triumphant, skill-
fully underplaying the well-inten-
tioned caretaker who doesn’t have
a clue.
Coincidentally, Szalewski was
featured in CAT’s first production,
“Grace and Glorie,” and Grady
played two characters in CAT’s hi-
larious “Sylvia.” It’s a sweet note of
closure for this elegant theater.
Jim Wellington, versatile actor
in numerous local productions,
takes on the directing chores,
proving his mastery of theater arts,
even adding appropriate ambiance
between the scenes with inciden-
tal minimal music by Philip Glass,
other-worldly notes sprinkling
numbers over the stage.
CAT’s final production is a glis-
tening gem, but the proof is in the
pudding. See for yourself.
For tickets or more information,
visit catproductions.org.
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Saturday — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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“Hush” — CROW Advanced Acting
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Featuring “Just Like I Wanted” by Rebecca
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7 p.m.
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“Proof ”
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Aug. 18
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Points of Grace Community Acupuncture
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11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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Weekends
21st annual Florence Coin Show
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Florence Events Center
MainlyPiano House Concert Series: Dan
Chadburn
A benefit for Oregon Coast Humane Society
7 p.m.
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Jesse Mead
7 p.m.
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Blue Bills Sports Bar at Three Rivers Casino,
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Aug. 21
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Aug. 24
Allen Giardinelli Hot Club Quintet
7 p.m.
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Blue Bills Sports Bar at Three Rivers Casino,
5647 Highway 126
Be Ready — Storm Ready Expo
Presented by Siuslaw News and Western Lane
Emergency Operations Group
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Kiwanis provides free hot
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We buy, sell and consign quality
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Gold, silver, platinum jewelry with
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Call 541-997-8104,
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Oregon Coast Military Museum’s Military
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With Capt. Sharon Armstrong, USCGR (Ret),
and Elizabeth Estabrooks, Women Veterans
Coordinator for the Oregon Department of
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2 to 4 p.m.
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Sam Spayd’s Hangar at the Florence
Municipal Airport
oregoncoastmilitarymuseum.com/
Allen Giardinelli Hot Club Quintet
7 p.m.
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Blue Bills Sports Bar at Three Rivers Casino,
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Aug. 26
Tidepool Exploration at Strawberry Hill
With CoastWatch Volunteer Coordinator
Fawn Custer
8 a.m. to noon
Open to public
Strawberry Hill Wayside, 95720 Highway 101
541-270-0027
The Diabetes/Prediabetes Support Group
meetings will resume in September.
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Aug. 23
Community Chorus Registration for the
Christmas Concert
Conducted by David Aakre
6:30 p.m.
Open to public
Presbyterian Church of the Siuslaw, 3996
Highway 101
541-997-3469, www.communitychorusfloren-
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Aug. 25
21st annual Florence Coin Show
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Open to public
Florence Events Center
Alva Bracey
Open House for Siuslaw Partnership to
Prevent Substance Abuse
1:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Open to public
Bromley Room of the Siuslaw Public Library
sappsa.org
Caregiver Support Group
6 p.m.
Open to public
Spruce Point Assisted Living & Memory
Care, 375 Ninth St.
Aug. 19
Pottery & Sip Class with Carol Mast
Carve, glaze or create your own design
5:15 to 8:30 p.m.
Tickets required
Mindpower Gallery, 417 Fir Ave., Reedsport
541-271-2485
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Noon to 1 p.m.
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