Fairytale Facts

Fairytale Facts

Don’t Tell Mama

February 19, 2018

Photo courtesy of Don't tell Mama

Lisa Seldin Dontzin’s one woman show, Fairytale Facts, opened at Don’t Tell Mama (343 W. 46^th St.).  Directed by Cookie Harlin, Ms. Dontzin shares with her audience stories of her younger days, including her elementary school play, ballet recital, and dropping out of college to join a commune.  She is constantly pointing out the “facts’ of her stories.  These are the truths about her experiences that she doesn’t want you to miss while she's doing what she does extremely well… making you laugh.

The stage is dark.  We hear the story of a nightmare where a woman is being forced to sing Cinderella’s song, “In my Own Little Corner.”  “Please don’t make me sing that song,” she cries, "I’m a step sister.  I’ve always been a step sister.  I love the step sisters.  And now I am 64 years old and I am trapped in the f**** dress!”  The lights come up abruptly and there stands Lisa Seldin Dontzin in a Cinderella dress.  She wears it well, but the stories she proceeds to tell about herself illustrate how she doesn’t fell it is right for her.

Lisa Seldin Dontzin
Photo courtesy fo Lisa Sheldin Dontzin

Ms. Dontzin is personable and funny.  Her passion and warmth are magnetic.  Her child-like belief in the magical possibilities in life is exuberantly communicated in her stories, especially the one about the litter girl who sat in front of her at the Broadway Theatre during a performance of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.  Ms. Dontzin takes a packed audience on a journey through her fairytale and factual life, and then lets them in for a secret at the end.  A secret that makes sense of all the magic.

Check out the Don’t Tell Mama website (http://www.donttellmamanyc.com/) for upcoming dates for Fairytale Facts, and treat yourself to a funny and heartwarming experience.  

Domenick Danza