Being the good Christian I am, I skipped our regular Wednesday night Bible study to see Westlake High School’s Production of Steve Martin’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile with my buddy [Ben->]. I had read the play a few years back when it was first published, but had never seen it staged, so was very excited to have the chance, especially at the low, low bargain price of $5.00.

The play, as I’d remembered, was excellent. One of the things that I really love about Steve Martin’s work is that he manages to take on big questions, to explore the world of Ideas, while at the same time making me endanger my health with laughter. And surprisingly, the Westlake High School gang did a superb job with it. Their staging was sparse, but effective, and the actors very capable and well-rehearsed, without the awkward timing that so often afflicts non-professional stage productions. Far better than lots of community theater productions I’ve seen (and paid a lot more for).

Bravo to all concerned! If you’re in or near Austin, you’ve still got a few shows you can make. (The $5.00 included cookies afterwards. You can’t beat that!)