By Molly Seely

“Dolores” is the second half of the play Broken Hearts and Busted Jaws by Edward Allen Baker and is currently in production by the Elm City Theatre Company. This two-woman act is simultaneously sad and humorous, as two sisters reminisce about their less than idyllic childhoods, even bleaker presents, and questionable futures.

The adorable Gabriella Miceli plays the title character, Dolores. Miceli’s stunning performance compels the audience to feel nothing but empathy for the ill-fortuned, trouble-strewn Dolores. Dolores is the quintessential black sheep and outcast of the family, and Miceli gave a stellar performance portraying Dolores’ desire to be wanted, loved, and protected by her younger sister. Alyssa Biggs plays the role of responsible, earthy Sandra, the younger and more mature of the two sisters. Biggs is exceptionally convincing as the contented homemaker and seems to evolve alongside her character as the act progresses. The two sisters, while seemingly complete opposites are truly two halves of the same coin, each revealing how the other became who she is today. Individually the two actresses are amazing; together they are luminescent. The fast-paced dialogue is natural and flows smoothly, making me feel as though I were spying on some true-to-life private conversation between two very real sisters. If I had indeed been eavesdropping, I would not have been able to turn away. While the stage set was not yet complete when I was privileged to get a sneak-peak of the performance, I can honestly say, it makes little to no difference; the natural chemistry between Biggs and Miceli commanded all of my attention. The director, SonnieMarie Lebbing, is to be commended for marvelous interpretation of the script.

Lebbing fine-tuned the piece to near perfection, giving subtle stage directions that took certain moments from “nice” to “niiiiiiccccceeeee.”

While I adored the play, I am not ashamed to admit it had one large flaw:

It left me wanting more…