(Stephen Mosher Photos courtesy of Adam Magazine)
Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories (directed by Jay Rogers, and featuring music written by Keith Thompson, Larry Rosen and Carol Hall – who wrote music and lyrics for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) is a powerful message disguised as a sweet lil tale about a gal who started out life sittin’ on the porch in her Pretty Plus Jeans wearin’ a Burger King crown that she re-did with sparkles and glitter . . . who somehow ended up in New York City tellin’ stories. But don’t let Faye Lane’s Southern charm, flashing eyes and brilliant smile fool you – her story is as resounding and victorious as any by Horatio Alger – with twice the pluck and half the testosterone.
Timing is everything (or so they say) and a lot of things in life are attributed to being at the right place at the right time. A lot of platitudes have been constructed on the simple joining of Time plus Opportunity (or Faith that Opportunity will hopefully Present itself before you go Sliding down the Side of a Cliff). As human beings we put a lot of stock in Serendipity and its twin, Stroke of Luck – hoping that we all get to experience that Moment. You know the one – the one that comes at you against all odds and knocks you for a loop and dares you to take it for a ride. Face it, no one wants to be old, looking back on their life, counting up all their regrets.
And Faye, she knows a thing or two about timing.
Faye starts us off at her humble beginnings, her momma’s beauty shop Casa Vale which translates, poetically, to House of Worth. Except this is Texas and they call it Casa Vale (rhymes with pail) and Worth isn’t as easy to grab hold of and as, say, a bottle of conditioner. Little Faye – a scene stealer from the start – has a captive audience built right in what with all those ladies sitting under the dryer, week after week, month after month with nothing to do but stare straight ahead. Little Faye does her best to entertain them all and dreams of the day when she’ll move to New York City and sing every night in Madison Square Garden. In a Diamond Bikini. Well, she’s off to a good start . . .
Green Bean Queen
She’s cast as the Green Bean in her school play and her teacher writes a solo just for her – which she performs in a custom-remodeled bean outfit – replete with sparkly Burger King Crown. She recreated this moment now, and at this point, dressed in her bedazzled Green Bean Queen ensemble – if this little gal hasn’t won your heart, you don’t have one to win.
Faye moves forward with her life telling stories in song and comedy, each time drawing the circle a little closer to her center, uncovering another layer and revealing that beneath those flashing eyes, that beaming grin and that trilling voice there’s a Xena-like warrior who kept her eye on the prize and never looked back.
“Jump and a net will appear,” one of the Beauty Shop ladies tells her and Faye replies, wide eyed, “That’s beautiful! Who’s Annette?” But don’t let that wide eyed innocence fool you. Because once Ms. Lane started jumping, nets appeared on command as if they were powerless to do otherwise. Her drive, talent, and sheer force of will propelled her into a world that few get to experience. Which is not to say it was always easy, or that the road from A to B was always straight. But what Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories does, and does beautifully, is create a frame around the needlepoint sampler that’s been the declaration of Faye’s life: Take a chance. Live your dream. Write your own story. While you’re at it, make it a fairy tale. Because when that story comes true – and it will – you want to be able to live it out wearing a dazzling crown.
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Award-Winning Solo Show Faye Lane’s Beauty Shop Stories Directed by MAC Award winner, Jay Rogers With music written by Keith Thompson, Larry Rosen and Carol Hall The Huron Club at The SoHo Playhouse 15 Vandam Street, NYC Sundays at 5pm December 5th – January 9th (6 performances only) Tickets: $25. For tickets click hereor visit www.sohoplayhouse.com
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