“You Want Me To Do What?!?” at The Cherry Lane Theatre Main Stage
Mary Lou Shriber
“You Want Me To Do What?!?” at The Cherry Lane Theatre
Written and Performed by Mary Lou Shriber
Directed by Joe Ricci
Reviewed by Joseph Verlezza
Theatre Reviews Limited
An amazing opportunity presents itself to experience the wonderfully uplifting performance by Mary Lou Shriber in her new musical “You Want Me To Do What?!?” now playing at the Cherry Lane Theatre as part of the All For One Festival. There are quite a number of accomplishments to admire as you listen to Ms. Shriber reveal her past and celebrate her present through informative dialogue and heartfelt song. Granting her father’s dying wish that she become a nurse and fulfilling her own dream of a career as an actor are certainly rewarding accomplishments. Having the intelligence and personality to do both very well is notable, but to have the essence of each career collide and explode into an emotional exploration of her life is a remarkable achievement. Her compassion and respect for patients as a nurse is transferred to the stage with ease, assuring the audience of her honesty and integrity.
Ms. Shriber ‘s writing is sharp, direct and precise. The structure of her solo is strong and interesting as she seamlessly flows from dialogue to song, never losing any emotional momentum. The songs are not forced nor contrived nor erratically placed for mere entertainment, but move the story forward in a well edited fashion. Reviewing and remembering her past and connecting it to her present is an extraordinary journey traveled with confidence and intense focus as she relives each moment, sometimes being the last for many of her patients. She has learned about courage, witnessed the pain, felt the sadness, exalted in the joy of life and always with great respect treated death with dignity. All of this allows Ms. Shriber to develop a passionate tale, claiming her place on stage as a consummate, talented writer and most of all a sincere human being who understands the powerful effect of good theatre
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from The Herald Scotland
“There are a few alternatives to the smarty-pants, self-referencing, pop-culture-laden musicals that populate the Fringe programme, among them some very adult, enjoyable evenings of song and story.
On the other side of the pond, Mary Lou Shriber was packing away the music and putting on a rubber glove as she set aside her acting ambitions in order to become a nurse in a cancer ward. Shriber, a trim, clear-voiced blonde, tells it like it is. Her story of her double life – acting by night, nursing studies by day – is punctuated with the odd show tune and pop classic. Shriber can be brassy and sassy, but the most compelling parts of the show I where she’s sharing her experience as a young nurse dealing with terminal leukemia patients.” -The Herald Scotland
“She conveys her emotions with passion and confidence… Shriber’s strong vocals genuinely bring the performance to life.”-Three Weeks, Edinburgh
“Shriber has the distinct advantage when it comes to narrating her story – able to break into song on a whim, or play all the characters in a vignette from her memory bank.” -Fringe Guru, Edinburgh