If it were not for a very passionate crew of young and talented locals being able to scrape barely enough donations to fund materials for their dreamed play production, Malibu would not have been gifted with back to back sold out shows at the Malibu Playhouse.
Butterflies Are Free, written in 1969, is a play by Leonard Gershe, loosely based on the life of attorney Harold Krents, the plot revolved around a blind man living in downtown Manhattan whose controlling mother disapproves of his relationship with a free-spirited hippie. The title was inspired by a passage in Charles Dickens Bleak House: “I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies.”
A few years later, in 1972, a film was produced by M.J. Frankovich, released by Columbia Pictures, directed by Milton Katselas and adapted for the screen by Gershe.
Goldie Hawn and Edward Albert starred. Eileen Heckart, who played the mother of her blind son, received an Academy Award for her performance. While the original play was set in Manhattan, New York, the screenplay written for the 1972 film was set in an unknown location in San Francisco. Several weeks ago I got a call from my wild and highly energetic young friend Emma Jenkinson, who said she was the stage manager and set designer for an upcoming play, and was looking for my help from my son Taylor Woods and I to build some set features. Being a finish carpenter I did not know much about plays or set design, but we agreed to donate our help so that her friends could pull off this production that barely had a budget to purchase a few tickets for those who helped. I received my direction from the coolest, Conner Hayes and Emma, who my sons went to Malibu High school with, and was introduced to inner workings of rehearsals and production techniques. Never before excited about seeing a play, and with no idea of what to expect, I accepted my free ticket into the playhouse for the next to last performance. Directed by Veronica Brady, the play opened in the darkness with Don Baker (Dylan Hayes ) playing the guitar. It’s a while before we know he was born blind. Having lived his entire young life with his mother, Don moves out into an apartment on his own but finds himself all alone. He has made a contract that his mother will not come to see him for at least two months.
One month has passed. This is when Jill Tanner (Carson Meyer ) moves into an apartment next door to Don. She listens to Don talking to his mother over the phone and turns on the radio. When Don asks her to turn the volume down, she invites herself over for a cup of coffee. They start talking and find each other friendly. Jill does not realize that Don is blind until she sees him dropping his cigarette ash on the table. Jill has never met a blind man before, so she asks all sorts of questions about how Don manages everyday chores. She tells Don that her favorite quote is: “I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies.” (From Dickens’ “Bleak House”). She takes him out shopping to buy bohemian and free-spirited clothing. Back home, Don makes up a song and starts to sing “Butterflies are Free” on his guitar. They discover they can unlock the door separating their two apartments.
Surprising Don with a visit, Mrs. Baker sees that Don has attached himself to Jill. She also encounters them in the apartment partially undressed. She fears that Jill will break Don’s heart. She takes Jill out to lunch and tries to talk her out of Don’s life. Jill has strong feelings for Don and tells Mrs. Baker that if there is someone who should get out of Don’s life, it is she.
Jill later breaks a dinner date at Don’s apartment, bringing Ralph (Isac Sindell ) the director of the play she has auditioned for, and announces, hesitantly, that she will move in with him. Don is heartbroken and asks his mother if he can move back home. She talks him out of it and they finally make peace over their new roles in life. Jill and Don fight over her moving out, and Don tells her she is the one who is disabled. She leaves but returns to Don, and the two reconcile.
Not only did I have an ear to ear smile for most of the play, but I was in awe of the acting performances by our young and witty local actress Carson Meyer and the extraordinary talent of Dylan Hayes, Colette Kilroy, and Isac Sindell.The script was riveting with heartfelt emotion and rapid nonstop humor steeped in the revolutionary cultural changes that personified the late 60’s. (Oh yeah, and our set work was not too shabby either).
With all the shows sold out, the amazing excitement that this production brought to the community, and being attended by so many high-rolling celebrities, let’s hope that with so much local talent this blessed community can step up to provide a permanent home for the Malibu Playhouse for more brilliant plays. Butterflies Are Free……but stage productions are not.
The future of the Malibu Playhouse is in jeopardy due to the impending sale of the property. For those interested in investing in Malibu’s heritage, please contact the Malibu Playhouse.
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