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LIGHTNING REVIEW: 'Catfish Moon' shines light on friendship

Mark Rowe, Scott Treadway and Michael MacCauley star in 'Catfish Moon'

By Bill Moss, Published: November 2, 2015

The conflict in “Catfish Moon” is based on the preposterous premise that a married man divorced by his wife for having an affair is justified in being possessive of the ex when someone else falls for her.

Somehow the cast overcomes a contrived script to deliver a light and fun two-hour performance at the Flat Rock Playhouse downtown.
In his directorial debut at the Playhouse, Dane Whitlock — day job: marketing director — sorts it all out and let’s the audience enjoy the fine performances of an ensemble that features Scott Treadway, as the husband, Frog; Michael MacCauley, as Curley; Debra Capps, as the ex-wife, Betty; and Mark Rowe, as Gordon.
Frog, Curley and Gordon are high school buddies who are back on the old fishing pier at a lake somewhere in the South. The reunion would be about fishing, beer drinking and shoulder-punching reminiscing, except that:
• Gordon has fallen in love with Betty, Frog’s ex-wife.
• Gordon is a recovering alcoholic.
• Frog does not trust the dilapidated boat that Curley wants to take out on the lake (it has three paddles instead of a motor).
• One of the characters suffers a heart attack and … well, you get the idea.
As Betty, Capps is likably sassy and often seems like the most level-headed of the bunch. Her romantic options on the dock aren’t great. She and Frog divorced after his affair with a waitress from the Sweet and Low Café, which is revealed when he comes home with Polaroid photos in a coat pocket.
Gordon in the meantime has become smitten with Betty when the two pair up as bowling partners. Gordon decides to propose to Betty based on advice from the Horoscope Hotline.
Frog has heard about a public display of affection between his old buddy and Betty, and he can’t accept it. He whines and moans to Curley, who points to an obvious weak plank in Frog’s platform.
“Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t you and Betty divorced?” asks Curley, who is also Betty’s brother.
A playbill note reveals an interesting nugget.
It turns out that Treadway and Rowe — Frog and Curley — were playmates when they grew up in the same neighborhood in Knoxville, Tenn. “Aside from backyard sketches, this is their first time performing together,” we’re told.
A Hollywood actor, Rowe has appeared as a janitor in “Scandal” and plays the role of Kevin in Showtime’s “Donovan.” You may also have seen him as a singing dad for Craftsman tools, a soccer dad for Dodge and brewery owner for AT&T.
It’s rare though not unprecedented for the Playhouse to cast a non-Equity player in a major role (except for apprentices). The show does not suffer at all from the presence of Ms. Capps. Voted Best Actress of 2015 by readers of the Greenville News, she has appeared on stage and in television commercials. She partners with Bill Love on “Love in the Morning” on the Upstate’s 103.3 and 95.9 Earth-FM radio, pitches cars for Hyundai of Anderson and fills in on the entertainment desk of WSPA-Ch. 7.
Like a lot of shows this season, “Catfish Moon” creates a good blend of Playhouse veterans (MacCauley and Treadway) and newcomers (Rowe and Capps). Pathos and comedy in the final scenes tie the story together and leave the audience with the comforting message that shared memories and longtime friendships can survive painful episodes amid the passing of time.

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Catfish Moon runs through Nov. 15, at Flat Rock Playhouse Downtown. Performances are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15-40 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.