Warren's 2nd Story Theatre seems to have a thing about courtroom dramas. And just about every time the company stages one, it heads for Bristol's historic statehouse, with its intimate, intact courtroom as a ready-made set. That's where the troupe is holding its latest offering, a tight, hard-hitting production of former New York Post reporter Tom Topor's "Nuts," the Broadway hit about a high-priced call girl who tries to prove she is competent to stand trial on manslaughter charges, despite her parents' attempts to commit her, and thus avoid further scandal.

While the fit between space and script is pretty neat, Topor and director Mark Peckham take a lot of liberties with the proceedings -- welcome liberties. Witnesses leave their seats, stroll about the courtroom and deliver impassioned speeches that seem to have nothing to do with attorneys' questions. And in the explosive second act, defendant Claudia Draper testifies while perched on the judge's desk. But no one objects, not even when Draper, in a searing, slightly crazed portrayal by Amber Kelly, starts attacking witnesses on her own.

Although the show may not resemble a realistic episode of "Law & Order," it does pack a punch. Peckham, who has a nose for what works on a stage, has gone with what makes most sense dramatically, and not gotten hung up on courtroom procedure. And that makes for some exciting moments of theater.

The first act pretty much belongs to the defendant's up-tight parents, played with wonderful conviction by Lynne Collinson and Eric Behr as sleazy step-dad Arthur Kirk. It's a sometimes funny, sometimes touching, sometimes horrifying scene, during which we see just how out of touch this pair of suburbanites is with their daughter, who claims to have killed a "john" in self-defense.

Collinson's befuddled Rose, who hates airing family problems in public, can't seem to accept the fact that her daughter is a hooker. Instead she slips into a rosy reverie about Claudia's failed marriage, which she tells us as a point of pride took place in an Episcopal church with the bride in white.

But it's Behr's Arthur, a sort of sophisticated Archie Bunker, who makes us both giggle and gasp. Once on the stand, we learn his warped view of family values.

"I've never seen a marriage certificate with the word "happiness" in it," he tells the court. Marriage is a "deal," he says

But the bumbling Arthur doesn't seem so amusing after his step-daughter's lawyer suggests he was closer to Claudia than anyone suspected. Exposed, Arthur does what any concerned business man might do, reaches for his checkbook and tries to buy his way out of the mess he finds himself in, offering to pay for treatment for Claudia, who at that point is confined to a ward in Bellevue.

The other nicely nuanced performance in the opening act comes from Kevin Broccoli as defense attorney Aaron Levinsky. Broccli at first seems hopelessly green, but when unleashed he turns out to be a pit bull, handily dismantling the testimony of Paula Faber's cool Dr. Rosenthal, who claims Claudia is a dangerous paranoid schizophrenic in need of hospitalization.

But the second act belongs to Kelly, best known as head of Theater of Thought, which has been staging site-specific theater around the state, putting on plays in motel rooms, trailers and vans. Kelly, as Claudia, is sort of a question mark up to that point, someone whose eccentric behavior might be a sign of mental illness, or maybe just an independent soul.

But when Broccoli puts her on the stand and asks if she understands the proceedings, Claudia displays an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the law, as well as a surprising command of her roller-coaster life.

Dressed in orange prison garb and a bathrobe, Kelly is riveting, toying with her accusers, seeming at times like a basket case, at others like the sanest person in the room. One of her more impressive moments comes when prosecutor Vince Petronio asks how as a single woman she paid the rent, what she did in exchange for all the gifts and money men gave her. A reluctant Kelly eyes her attorney and hedges a bit, then steps front and center and rattles off the long list of sex acts in her repertoire and the cost for each.

"Nuts," which premiered on Broadway in 1980 and was later made into a film with Barbara Streisand, is based on a true-life incident that Topor reported on in the early 1970s. But again, much of the realism in this play has been sacrificed to the need for a good yarn. It's hard to believe, for example, that Faber's psychiatrist could label Claudia as paranoid just because she is suspicious of authority and likes to refer to Thorazine as "poison." It's Dr. Rosenthal, in a second-act outburst, who seems like the nut here, the paranoid one.

But that's just one of the intriguing ways Topor examines the question what constitutes sanity in this loopy world of ours.

2nd Story Theatre returns to the courtroom at the old Bristol Statehouse for an intense courtroom drama that will have you laughing out loud, cringing, gasping, thinking, and possibly even shedding a tear or two.

"Nuts", Tom Topor's Broadway hit, turned into a movie starring Barbra Steisand, gets a five-star performance from an excellent cast, directed by Mark Peckham.

Peckham has been around Rhode Island theatre for years, playing supporting roles, teaching, occasionally playing leads, and directing. He does all extremely well, and should be in demand by any group that wants to "put on a show".

And what a show "Nuts" is!

We sit close to the action in an actual courthouse, where Claudia Draper is to be given a hearing to determine whether she is capable of standing trial for manslaughter, or is "nuts", and should be committed to a mental hospital.

Her attorney (Kevin Broccoli) at first seems to be wet behind the ears and a bit manipulated and threatened by his client. But wait until Act 2 when he shows his mettle.

The District Attorney (Vince Petronio) is clever and manipulative (Everyone in the play is a bit manipulative).

The psychiatrist (Paula Faber) is convinced, after a 15-minute interview, that Claudia should be committed, as are Claudia's parents (Lynn Collinson and Eric Behr).

Claudia remains quiet through most of the first act, as she is drilled by the DA, who puts her psychiatrist and her parents on the stand. A terrible secret is slowly revealed about Claudio and her father ("He's not my father; he's my stepfather"), and the audience is given a short recess to catch its collective breath.

Claudia takes over her defense in the second act, defying all courtroom rules, citing laws verbatim, and raising the question of her sanity. More is revealed about her present "situation", where and she gets her money, why she rejects her parents, and what happened to her marriage.

Amber Kelly gives one of the best performances of the year as Rose. Showing her emotions, moving the audience, gaining our sympathy and making you want to cheer for her is about as good as it gets. This fine young actress has done some interesting alternative theatre around the state, but would be a fine addition to any company.

Eric Behr has his electrifying moment as the stepfather who reveals his true self under intense questioning. He will make you laugh with some of his revelations, but it is a guilty laugh.

Lynn Collinson gains your sympathy, even though you want to shake her and wake her up to reality. That takes some good acting.

Vince Petronio and Paula Faber have the toughest roles. They have to make the audience dislike them. And they succeed. Faber sits in the audience when not on the stand. The man sitting next to her turned to his actor friend, commenting "I have to sit next to this bitch."

And a cheer for John Connery as the sheriff. He is the glue that holds the action together , starting with the customary "turn off your cell phones". He has little more to say than "All rise", but has a wonderful scene near the end, when Claudia reveals that he is the only one she trusts.

Director Peckham makes use of the entire room, allowing the participants to wander a bit, much to the concern and amazement of the judge (Walter Cotter), and the sheriff (John Connery). Claudia even gets away with sitting on the judge's bench.

The ending is a very satisfying and poignant one, and the play will leave you thinking about sanity vs insanity. Claudia may be the only sane one in the group.

Eileen Warburton has once again written a fine essay. If you are not familiar with the play and don't want to know what will happen next, I advise you not to read it until you get home.

"Nuts" is at the Bristol Statehouse240 High St, in Bristol through June 26.

Don't miss this one!

2nd Story Theatre's summer show is "Nuts", a courtroom melodrama. It's not your father's courtroom drama: a high-price call girl, having killed a 'john' in self-defense, is indicted for manslaughter. But when her parents try to avoid further scandal by having her declared mentally incompetent, the determined hooker launches a bare-knuckled, take-no-prisoners battle to convince the court she's sane enough to stand trial. The show is about Claudia Faith Draper who has been arrested for manslaughter and is being held in NY's Bellevue Hospital. The State wants to declare her mentally incompetent to stand trial but Claudia fights the charges and with the help of her court appointed attorney, fights the system. Director Mark Peckham takes this show and infuses it with some intense dramatic moments that will keep you on the edge of your seats and rooting for Claudia to triumph over all odds.

Mark blocks the show beautifully, utilizing the whole playing area of the courthouse and gives his cast the keen insight to portray their characters. His is aided in his task by youthful stage manager, Evan Kinnane who is a topnotch actor, too. Amber Kelly delivers a tour de force performance as Claudia. She runs the gamut of emotions in this role. Claudia is at first, an unlikable woman, but using her talent she sways the audience to root for her by the close of the show. Amber is an excellent actress who portrays the inner torment of this woman. Claudia's arguing with her shrink, her break down during her stepfather's testimony and her reconciliation with her mother are her standout moments for her.

Kevin Brocolli plays the defense attorney, Aaron Levinsky beautifully. He grows to like this aggressive woman and helps her to overcome the obstacles placed in her pathway. Kevin is a talented actor who delivers his huge amounts of dialogue with ease. His adversary, Francis MacMillian is played by Vince Petronio. He does a great job delivering his massive amount of dialogue. One his standout moments occurs when the lawyer forces Claudia to explain her business practices and when he can't get a word in edgewise with the stepfather running rough shod over him.

Walter Cotter plays the exasperated, Judge Murdock who must decide Claudia's fate. He handles this authority figure very well and keeps things going smoothly in his courtroom. The villain of this piece is the conceited all know shrink, Dr. Rosenthal, played by Paula Faber. Although you think the doctor knows best, it might not be so in this show. The shrink's ego outweighs her fairness to Claudia and she wants to keep her sedated at all times. The character is a narrow minded woman who can't believe a white, middle class woman can be a prostitute. She displays the right amount of venom to make the audience see that she really doesn't care about his patient at all.

Another veteran performer is Lynne Collinson who plays her mother, Rose Kirk, delivering an electrifying performance. You first see her as a dour severe woman, sitting in the courtroom but she delivers the goods in a stunning confrontation with her daughter in Act 1 where she displays 31 returned letters and you learn throughout the proceedings that she really cares about her daughter and when Claudia finally hugs her near the end of the show, the whole audience is moved to tears at this poignant moment.

Rounding out the cast are Eric Behr as the kindly but devious stepfather, Arthur Kirk, who delivers a stunning monologue in Act 1 that shocks the audience, John Connery as Harry, the cop and Liz Hallenbeck as the recorder. So for intriguing and insightful look at courtroom proceedings with some heavy and funny twists and turns along the way be sure to catch, "Nuts" in Bristol.

Environmental Theater can go either way - a unique, full immersion experience such as 'The Nutcracker' performed in the Newport Mansions, or the upcoming 'Executor' which will blend a Lovecraftian drama with a walking tour of Providence - or a gimmicky, kitschy Halloween "Haunted House" feel where the audience and actors have to push a little too hard to pretend that this reality is anything other than forced. Some plays almost beg for location - the recent 'Murder Trial of John Gordon' for instance, was overshadowed in the spacious Park Theatre and would have gone over quite well in the old Bristol Courthouse. 2nd Story saw that opportunity and grabbed it, with an affecting production of Tom Topor's 'Nuts'.

Entering the historic Bristol Statehouse, the 2nd Story staffers are palpably jazzed, obviously excited to send participants upstairs to the courtroom. And it's easy to see why; upon entering the space, one is confronted with a sense of almost churchlike formality unlike any standard performance arena. The audience buzzes, greeting old friends, but there is a subdued vibe, especially as Court bailiff Harry Haggerty (played wonderfully in character as the quietly forceful John Connery), directs us to our seats. Once there, we're immediately cognizant of a cloying, kitschy game-show jazz/Muzak piped loudly over the courtroom speakers (supplied by Connery in double-duty as the show's Musicologist). The audience remarks more than once, "what is up with this music??" And with that, were launched into a setting that asks us to define what is "normal"? Is this "establishment" music enjoyed by "normal" people (in 1967, the answer would be a solid yes)? But if the hits of Lulu and Dusty Springfield were once considered mainstream, then these neutered instrumental versions are a distorted view of what is acceptable. Benign and polite on the surface they may be, but the ability to provoke anger and madness lurks underneath.

And that's the heart of the matter in 'Nuts'. High-end escort Claudia Draper appears in court for a preliminary hearing to determine her fitness for trial. Accused of the homicide of a client, Claudia is determined to have her say and defend herself. Her parents, however, are determined to keep the family skeletons firmly in the closet and keep their Muzak playing. What we discover about Claudia and her parents throughout the play have us vacillating between support for her sanity and reason and the argument that she is damaged goods and could actually use the psychiatric help that everyone is thrusting upon her.

Amber Kelly's heroine is a smug, intelligent rebel with a deep-seated disdain for authority bordering on the sociopathic. If it weren't for her wit, and more convincingly, her vulnerability, Claudia would come across as merely bitchy. But Kelly rides a thoroughly convincing arc from beginning to end, and by Act Two, we've shared not only laughter, but righteous anger, empathy and tears. Claudia's mother, Rose, portrayed to stunning effect by 2nd Story Executive Director Lynne Collinson, is a page ripped from A.R. Gurney's playbook - she demands respect for the plight of the WASP and wonders where she went wrong with her daughter. After all, she provided everything, including a fine wedding ("An Episcopal ceremony! The minister had green eyes!!").

And if Rose Kirk is overly concerned with maintaining status quo, then her husband, Claudia's stepfather, Arthur Kirk, goes one further. Not only should everything unseemly be swept under the rug, but it's all fixable for a price. Eric Behr starts off staunchly conservative and pragmatic and veers beautifully into blissful ignorance. Once his foot enters his mouth during his testimony, it travels ever deeper until he's reduced to brandishing a money roll and proclaiming, "People are no different from dogs!" Claudia's current predicament is evidently more nurture than nature as the combination of an affectionless mother, an absent hero figure of a father and an overattentive stepfather who buys her affections all combine to explain away her behavior. The storyline may be neat, but the characters are complex and while it's easy to fall on the side of Blame the Parents, even Claudia cannot fully escape the responsibility for her own choices. She simply wants a chance to be heard, not to have her inconvenience locked away under the guise of medical care.

And she is heard, largely due to the efforts of her capable defense attorney, Aaron Levinsky, who bares his neck to the prosecution long enough to lull them into a false sense of security. Kevin Broccoli, who initially portrays Levinsky as a nebbish schoolboy, teeters precariously on the edge of caricature for most of the first half of the show. Voice cracking, he delivers several Columbo-like gotchas until he eventually establishes his courtroom prowess and goes on the offensive. A neat trick ("I've been watching you.." proclaims Arthur as he squares off against Aaron on the stand) by both Levinsky and Broccoli and by the time he delivers the stinging riposte to Claudia's pouty "Don't you love your clients?" ("Did you?"), he emerges just as layered and enigmatic as Claudia and the Kirks.

Vince Petronio's Franklin Macmillan is one half of a requisite villain persona, shared by State-appointed psychologist Dr. Rosenthal (Paula Faber). Both perform their parts with appropriate outrage at having their methods questioned and lob a few shells of tepid humanity into the fray, but there's not enough in each character to flesh them out, leaving Petronio and Faber to do their part and stay out of the way as much as possible. Walter Cotter's Judge Murdoch is one of the more easy-going justices ever to take the gavel as he allows Claudia and her parents to wander the courtroom freely, spilling the action into the aisles and up onto the judge's bench itself. Effective drama and pretty pictures; one can hardly blame Director Mark Peckham for allowing himself the conceit. As with the aforementioned 'John Gordon', a static courtroom drama turns quickly into a documentary without some bodies moving around and one of the play's two most affecting moments, between Claudia and Rose, happens almost within reach of the exit.

So, as environmental theater, 'Nuts' works a treat, and as a production, it mostly delivers. This early in the run, there were still a few line stumbles that, while minor, do have an impact in a play that relies so heavily on rapid dialogue. All of the elements of a perfect production are here: bravura performances by Kelly and Collinson, in particular and by the remainder in general, a spot-on setting and soundscape and a tight, yet expansive script that delivers the full spectrum of emotion. So why does 'Nuts' not seem to equal the sum of its parts? It could still be early enough for the glue not to have fully set and subsequent performances may be tighter. This audience, while thoroughly entertained, generally shared a certain ambivalence towards the production, which is a shame, for 'Nuts' is worth seeing even for its disparate elements. Maybe we're the crazy ones, after all, and 'Nuts' is really ok. Let Claudia have her say and go find out for yourself...

"Nuts," Tom Topor's intense courtroom drama about a high-end call girl's ability to stand trial for killing one of her clients, now at 2nd Story Theatre, is a gripping, top-notch production, complete with superior acting from its entire cast.

"Nuts" is more widely known as a star-studded 1987 film starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss, as well as stage and screen legends Karl Malden and Maureen Stapleton. Inspired by his time spent as a journalist covering courtrooms and psych wards, Topor's play had a brief Broadway run in 1980, following an earlier off-Broadway production. The author later earned a writing credit for the screenplay.

The defendant, Claudia Draper (Amber Kelly), clad in a bathrobe and hospital scrubs, has been charged with manslaughter. Her attorney, Aaron Levinsky (Kevin Broccoli), is faced with the uphill battle of proving she is sane enough to stand trial, despite expert testimony to the contrary from Dr. Rosenthal (Paula Faber), who classifies Claudia as a paranoid schizophrenic.

Furthermore, Claudia's well-to-do parents, stepfather Arthur Kirk (Eric Behr) and mother Rose (Lynne Collinson), also take the stand, describing their daughter as a once happy child who grew distant and guarded as a teenager and alienated them entirely after getting married.

Following the tradition of "Inherit the Wind" and "Gross Indecency," two previous 2nd Story Theatre productions also set in a courtroom, "Nuts" is staged in the courtroom of the historic Bristol Statehouse, an especially effective technique in which the audience members bear witness as though they were spectators at an actual trial.

The formula, in essence, is quite simple and even familiar -- an expert testifies, followed by family members, until the defendant finally takes the stand, all the while opposing counsel voice the occasional objection. The result, however, is explosive, much like a ticking time bomb, as each moment and sentence of testimony paints a darker, more complicated picture of Claudia, who is anything but the stereotypical, underprivileged streetwalker turning tricks to support a drug habit.

Under the keen direction of Mark Peckham, each member of the cast shines during his or her moment in the spotlight. Faber masters the disposition, as well as the intricate dialogue, of an indignant medical professional who refuses to believe her diagnosis may be wrong. Collinson is riveting as Claudia's mother, who takes the stand with some semblance of control, only to unravel by the time she returns to her seat. Behr, meanwhile, hauntingly portrays her stoic stepfather, whose testimony only serves to raise more questions.

Amber Kelly portrayed a disturbed young woman last year in Theater of Thought's "Killer Joe." Whether or not, or how badly her character is disturbed is the basis for this entire show, and the actress masterfully delivers, because despite her predicament, Claudia has the courtroom and her audience under her complete control.

The second act is comprised almost entirely of her testimony, as she is seated atop the judge's desk, and her way with words is off-putting, to say the least. Early on, Claudia spouts legalese with ease, followed by a litany of sexual acts that she performs for her clients (at a price, of course), culminating with a ferocious plea for her freedom. Other than one or two instances when she may have spoken too quickly, Kelly's performance is near perfect.

2nd Story Theatre's production of "Nuts" is a captivating, not-to-be-missed theater experience.

To be or not to be - crazy?

That is the question in 2nd Story Theatre's production of Tom Topor's courtroom drama "Nuts" playing at the Bristol Statehouse. 2nd Story's Artistic Director Ed Shea evidently likes to set 2nd Story's courtroom dramas - "Inherit the Wind" and "Gross Indecency" from recent seasons come to mind - in a courtroom, so here we are again in the historic Bristol landmark. In this instance, the courtroom is in the psycho ward of New York City's Bellevue Hospital.

And the case is anything but ordinary in that it is not the accused's guilt or innocence that is being evaluated in this courtroom, but her sanity.

Having killed an abusive client in self-defense, high-class hooker Claudia Draper - played to perfection by Amber Kelly - is facing first-degree manslaughter charges for what, for want of a better phrase, we'll call a crime of passion.

The DA's overzealous prosecutor, Franklin Macmillan (Vince Petronio), Claudia's under-protective mother, Rose Kirk (Lynne Collinson), over-affectionate stepfather, Arthur Kirk (Eric Behr), and Dr. Rosenthal (Paula Faber), the Bellevue staff psychiatrist, are in cahoots to get Claudia involuntarily committed to a state mental facility to avoid an embarrassing trial; airing the dirty family laundry in a public place is not what Westchester County is all about.

Claudia, in spite of her distrust of humanity in general, and men in particular, is not without friends and supporters.

There's Aaron Levinsky (Kevin Broccoli), her court-appointed public defender, the court clerk (Liz Hallenbeck), Harry Haggerty (John Connery), a security officer, and Judge Draper (Walter Cotter), who while maybe not a direct supporter, is smart enough not to be manipulated by either side.

Two factors make this production so much more than a standard courtroom drama: First, the script is fast-paced and engaging from beginning to end.

Take it from a playwright, serious drama had better have something going for it besides high ideas or an important theme. It had better have something to keep the audience interested. In this case, playwright Tom Topor uses humor to arm and disarm his characters and entertain his audience; Mark Peckham gives his marvelous cast the freedom to make a serious play a vehicle for side-splitting laughter while never losing sight of the important ideas expressed by the playwright. The second factor that makes this production extraordinary is a truly amazing performance by every member of the cast.

Kevin Broccoli's portrayal of a young, tough public defender is as convincing as anything you'll see this side of "Law and Order."

He's smart; he knows when to speak and when to listen, and he's a willing listener to his client. Lynn Collinson's performance as Rose is a terrible beauty.

On the one hand, she is a loving mother who is grieving a lost child, and on the other, she is a woman trying to protect her fa-ily's reputation at the expense of her child. Behr as Arthur is a comical and tragic figure, and he plays both flawlessly. His monologue on the state of modern matrimony is as hilarious as it is outrageous. Vince Petronio is right on track as the combative prosecutor, and Cotter's Judge Murdoch is played with just the right amount of tempered justice. Connery and Hallenbeck are top notch as well in the minor roles of the security officer and court clerk.

And then there is Amber Kelly who is amazing as the unhappy hooker; she has to be tough, but not too tough, and at the same time vulnerable without seeming weak. The play won't work if Claudia alienates the audience the way she dismisses the other characters in the play. Kelly does a marvelous job of winning the hearts and minds of her audience through her humor and passionate struggle for justice.

She is soft as silk or hard as nails, whatever the moment calls for without ever missing a beat.

As a guest director at 2nd Story, Peckham steps up to the plate and hits the ball out of the park.

His handling of the script and his cast have all the markings of the seasoned pro that he is. The Ocean State is truly blessed to have this level of talent, and so much of it, readily available to perform on local stages. As far as I'm concerned, a person would have to be nuts to miss this show.