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Romantic rendezvous and comical twists in Richey Suncoast's 'Amorous Ambassador'

 
Amorous Ambassador Harry Douglas, played by Bob Marcela, gets a promise of what’s to come from neighbor Marian, Christine Stoll, in Richey Suncoast Theatre’s upcoming production.
Amorous Ambassador Harry Douglas, played by Bob Marcela, gets a promise of what’s to come from neighbor Marian, Christine Stoll, in Richey Suncoast Theatre’s upcoming production.
Published Oct. 8, 2013

Remember that rascally Sensuous Senator, Harry Douglas, from Richey Suncoast Theatre's 2012-13 season? The one who waited for his wife to go out of town so he could dilly-dally with his secretary and a call girl?

Well, "Hormone" Harry, the "family values" politician, is back, this time promoted to the post of U. S. Ambassador to Great Britain in The Amorous Ambassador, playing Thursday and weekends through Nov. 3 at Richey Suncoast Theatre. This makes the fourth comedy/farce by Michael Parker to play at the downtown venue (Hot Bed Hotel, Sin, Sex and the C.I. A., and Sensuous Senator were the others), and all have been hits with the audience.

Award-winning comedy actor Bob Marcela will reprise his role as Harry, but this time it's Harry who is leaving town for a "golf trip" to Scotland that is really a "fishing trip" for wild women. When he learns that wife Lois (Kitty Cappelli) plans to take off for a spa and that daughter Debbie (Natalie Pozdol) will be gone, too, Harry decides to double back and use the family home as a trysting place with comely neighbor Marian (Christine Stoll, Maureen the Maid in Hotbed).

Debbie also decides to use the house for a romantic rendezvous with boyfriend Joe (Rich Aront, Congressman Salt in Sensuous Senator).

When there's a bomb threat at the embassy, faithful secretary Faye (Heather Clark, Lois in Senator) recruits Marine Capt. South (Mark Lewis, Brian in Hotbed) to move the embassy to Harry's home, encircle the whole place with gun-toting guards and seal everyone inside.

This is all watched with a dour eye by the butler, Perkins (Walt Pellock), who is well aware of the possible conflicts — and he doesn't mean the thugs threatening the embassy. Of course, there's conflict, when Harry overhears daughter Debbie's boyfriend Joe in the room next door, Debbie assures him it's her girlfriend "Josephine," Joe gets decked out in drag to become said Josephine — and Harry falls for him/her.

As with other Parker plays, there's lots of door slamming, quick entrances and exits, misunderstandings, sex talk, and twists and turns, both physical and mental.

Diehard fans of playwright Parker can see another of his farces, this one cowritten with wife Susan, entitled Sex Please, We're Sixty, playing at Stage West Community Playhouse through Oct. 20.