Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner at the Kelsey Theatre is a Timely Classic
by Laura Duffy
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, written by Todd Kreidler and based on the movie of the same name, follows the Drayton family: Matt (Victor Barretta), Christina (Linda Cunningham), and their daughter Joanna (Ariel Gruhin). In 1967 California, Joanna returns from a trip to Hawaii, where she has met and become engaged to John Prentice, Jr. (Nob’l), a Black doctor who has become renowned worldwide for his important medical research. Matt and Christina, although holding liberal beliefs for the time, must come to terms with their daughter's interracial relationship in just one day, as Dr. Prentice informs them that the couple plans to leave for Geneva that night, and he will refuse to marry Joanna unless he has their approval.
The evening is further complicated when John’s parents, John Prentice, Sr. (Di Shawn J. Gandy) and Mary (Dreama Su) arrive for dinner - Joanna has invited them as a surprise for John. Unbeknownst to her, John has not yet revealed to his parents that Joanna is white. All four parents must now unpack their prejudices and decide whether or not to sanction their children’s marriage. Also coming and going from the Drayton house during the play are Christina’s employee, Hilary (Dawn Lanoue), Matt’s golfing buddy, Monsignor Ryan (Michael Gilbert), and the Drayton’s housekeeper, Tillie (Darlene Ellis).
Upon entering the theater, I was immediately greeted by a drawn main curtain which exposed the unit set, designed by Shawn Simmons. It featured the interior of a 60s-era house, as well as an extension which served as a separate terrace space. The design was simple, but conveyed the Drayton’s wealth nicely and fit into the time period of the show. There was also live pre-show entertainment - somewhat of a rarity for productions in this area. Sandra Ward, the production’s guest vocalist, set the tone for the piece with renditions of jazz standards and popular love songs from the 1960s, accompanied by Lawrence Allen on keyboard.
As the production began, it became clear that Ward was also a fixture of the show itself. At the top and end of each act, she performed a variety of 60s staples. Her voice was lovely, and she had a great sense of musicality. I was hoping that perhaps she would play a larger role in the production than she did, as her inclusion didn’t always feel fully thought-out. Still, it was an entertaining way to set this production apart from others of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.
Speaking of similar productions, I noticed in the program that several cast members credited a 2018 production of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner in their bios, which was also directed by Diane L. Parker, who lead this 2025 version - notably, Darlene Ellis, Nob’l, and Sandra Ward, who provided pre-show entertainment for that production as well. It is an immense privilege to be able to return to the same work a second time, so I was fascinated to see what these artists would bring to a piece that they now understood so well.
The play began with Tillie, Hilary, and Christina preparing the Drayton house for an important client meeting with Charles Cazalet, a wealthy businessman. Ellis and Lanoue did a great job of immediately creating tension between their characters. It was clear that Tillie had little to no interest in being of help to Hilary, and for good reason. Ellis won an award for her last performance as Tillie, and I immediately understood why. She had a strong understanding of both the humor and heart in her character, and I thoroughly enjoyed each scene she was a part of. Lanoue’s Hilary was sharp and commanding, stomping across the Drayton’s house with her easels as though she were right at home. Lanoue did have a tendency to play her lines straight out to the audience, which sometimes took me out of the action of the play, but I was always drawn quickly back in.
Linda Cunningham held a definite presence as Christina, the matriarch of the Drayton family. Her character has some of my favorite scenes and lines of dialogue in the play, and Cunningham delivered them each with prowess - her comedic timing was especially impressive. Act One of the play was significantly longer than Act Two, and I would not be surprised if each of the actors had been told by the director to make sure that the pacing stayed quick and lively. As a result, I noticed that several of the actors often tripped over lines in an attempt to maintain the tempo. This was especially apparent in a scene where Christina fires Hilary after realizing how prejudiced she is. The scene was one of my favorites in the show - I just wanted it to slow down a bit so I could really savor Cunningham’s line delivery. However, all of the actors had relaxed into their roles by Act Two, and the dialogue was much smoother as a result.
One of my favorite performances in the piece was Victor Barretta’s as Matt Drayton. In each scene, he was consistently grounded, honest, and also had some great moments of humor (including some ad libs during which he successfully played off prop malfunctions). His final monologue, during which he reveals his approval of his daughter’s and Dr. Prentice’s marriage, was particularly touching and showed a deep level of understanding about the character.
Not long after the play begins, we are introduced to the central focus of the story: Joanna and John. Ariel Gruhin played Joanna as a true free spirit - I was entirely convinced that she would get caught in a whirlwind romance over the course of ten days. Nob’l as John, on the other hand, was stalwart and firm, both in his dealings with the Drayton parents and his interactions with his own family in Act Two. He was, perhaps, a bit too stiff at times - there is one scene where John demonstrates some dance moves to Matt, but they didn’t feel quite as free as they could’ve. Still, Gruhin and Nob’l served as excellent foils to one another, in true “opposites attract” form. You could tell that their characters brought out the best in one another.
Massive kudos are owed to Gilbert’s performance as Monsignor Ryan, which was stellar no matter how you slice it. From his impeccable comedic timing to his thoroughly believable Irish brogue, he was a joy to watch. It was clear that he had other fans in the audience as well, as his curtain call received one of the loudest cheers - rightfully earned.
John’s parents don’t appear until the second act, but Gandy and Su as John Sr. and Mary definitely left their mark on the production. Gandy was a strict father, while Su played a more affectionate and understanding mother. One of the most impactful scenes in the show happens between the two Johns: John Sr. expresses his concern that marrying a white woman will forever paint a target on his son’s back, while John argues that the only way forward is to break free from generational trauma that his father has imposed upon him. This argument is the emotional climax of the piece - it essentially encapsulates what the entire play is about. While the scene was strong, I felt that with more intentionality, energy, and clear diction, it would highlight the characters’ conflict even more effectively.
There was a projection element to the production as well, which I thought was a wise directorial decision. While Matt and John bond over a wrestling match they both remember fondly, archival footage of the match appears behind them. I do think the moment could have been cut down slightly, as it went on for longer than seemed comfortable for the actors. Still, I thought it was a creative and effective choice.
Sound design was done by Eric Collins, and successfully amplified all of the actor’s voices. There were several scenes where it appeared that mics were not turned on in time for actors to speak their lines, but I’m sure such an issue will resolve itself over the course of the run as the technicians become more familiar with the show. Lighting design was done effectively by Aaron Jelinek and M. Kitty Getlik. There were often scenes where lights focused in on specific characters as the scene became more emotional or personal for them, and I appreciated how the lighting reflected these shifts. Costumes by Anthony Wurtz and props by Philip Rieschick were period-appropriate and simple, which I appreciated, and they complimented the show well.
In her director’s note, Diane L. Parker mentions that her goal as director has been “to honor the original work while ensuring that its themes resonate with today’s world”. Unfortunately, this story couldn’t be more relevant to today - our society still has a long way to go in terms of unpacking bias, overcoming prejudice, and accepting change. At this moment in our history, I applaud Parker and the entire cast and crew for uplifting this powerful story and reminding us that we still have so much work to do.
Performances of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner run on February 21st and 22nd at 8 pm, and February 23rd at 2 pm. This production has been rated PG13. Tickets here: https://www.purplepass.com/events/296557-guess-who's-coming-to-dinner%3F-feb-21st-2025
