Epic Proportions ReviewRaleigh Little Theatre Review Exodus was never like this: “Epic Proportions” The Book of Exodus was never like this: Raleigh Little Theatre’s production of Epic Proportions, Larry Coen and David Crane’s 1986 Off-Broadway and 1999 Broadway comedy, is an entertaining and fast-paced piece of community theater whose off-the-wall humor is expertly orchestrated by RLT guest director Rod Rich. Set deep in the Arizona desert, 240 miles from the nearest town, in the midst of the Great Depression, Epic Proportions chronicles the hilarious calamities that befall an increasingly desperate film company while filming a Biblical epic named EXEUNT OMNES -- which might be loosely translated as EVERYBODY OUT -- by eccentric and notoriously reclusive Hollywood director D.W. DeWitt (Triangle theater legend Jack Hall). Director Rod Rich, who has for years kept Raleigh audiences in stitches with his wild-and-crazy productions for Actors Comedy Lab, has a wonderfully warped sense of humor; and offbeat comedy is his forte. Moreover, his cast for Epic Proportions not only includes the critically acclaimed comic actor Jack Hall as demented director D.W. DeWitt, but also Izzy Burger, who is fast earning a reputation as one the Triangles finest comic actresses. Hall adds another laurel to his acting crown here playing the hermit-like director; and Burger is sweet and very, very funny as Louise Goldman, the film’s assistant director in charge of extras. Jason Matthews and especially David McClutchey are highly amusing as a pair of brothers named Benny and Phil Bennet, who journey from the Heartland to the wastes of Arizona to become extras in a Biblical spectacular. The Bennets not only join the film company as crowd-fillers, but also tumble head over heels for their beautiful boss, Louise Goldman. David McClutchey gives a charismatic characterization as the urbane Phil Bennet, who arrives in the middle of filming determined to convince his brother Benny to return home -- and ends up signing on as another anonymous extra and then rapidly rising through the ranks of DeWitt Productions. Indeed, McClutchey’s dashing portrayal overshadows Jason Matthews’ comparatively less polished performance as poor bumbling Benny Bennet. RLT diva Rose Martin and top Triangle comic actor Tony Hefner are royally entertaining as the Queen of Egypt, etc., and a Conspirator, etc.; and Warren Keyes and Jon Karnofsky not only tackle their multiple small but colorful roles with gusto, but also demonstrate a fine flair for comedy. Set designer Rick Young creates massive striking -- if a bit cumbersome -- scenery for EXEUNT OMNES; technical director and lighting designer Jim Zervas expertly illuminates the onstage monkey business; and costume designer Vicki Olson dresses the cast in memorable array of authentic 1930s fashions as well as elaborate ancient Egyptian attire. Director Rod Rich and his hard-working cast combine with Rick Young, Jim Zervas, and Vicki Olson -- plus properties mistress Robin Hughes and sound designer extraordinaire Rowell Gormon -- to make Epic Proportions a real visual and aural feast for RLT patrons. The struggles of Moses to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrew children go were never this sidesplitting. Raleigh Little Theatre presents EPIC PROPORTIONS Friday-Saturday, Feb. 8-9, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 14-16 and 21-23, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 17 and 24, at 3 p.m. in RLT’s Cantey V. Sutton Theatre, 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, North Carolina. $18 ($15 students up to and including college and seniors 62+), except all seats $10 on Feb. 10th. 919/821-3111 or etix.com. NOTE: Arts Access, Inc. of Raleigh, NC (http://www.artsaccessinc.org/) will audio-describe the 3 p.m. Feb. 10th performance. RALEIGH LITTLE THEATRE: http://raleighlittletheatre.org/performances/07-08/epicproportions.html. INTERNET BROADWAY DATABASE: http://www.ibdb.com/show.asp?ID=3355. INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE: http://imdb.com/title/tt0959302/. WHAT: The TRIANGLE THEATER REVIEW is a FREE weekly e-mail theatrical newsletter, featuring previews and reviews by Robert W. McDowell and reviews by Alan R. Hall and others. (For brief bios of our critics, see the CVNC biographies page.) Classical Voice of North Carolina, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and this state's leading performing-arts platform, not only pays our reviewers but also makes continued publication of TTR possible. 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