The following is a re-print from the Tolucan Times

Clean Start
Reviewed by Tracey Paleo, Gia On The Move

CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights premiered a new comedy by Kathy Fischer and Josefina Lopez this past weekend to kick off its 15th “Quinceañera” Anniversary Season.

Clean Start centers around self-absorbed, oblivious, downtown, socialite Parker Reed who loses everything when her husband goes to jail for a Ponzi scheme and she is forced to move in with her dutiful Latina maid Rosario, her (Rosario’s) superstitious mother and immature sister.

Clean Start is a script filled with stereotypes and caricatures, a comedic morality play slightly reminiscent in delivery of old time television shows like I Love Lucy. Often played for the laughs, it however tells an important multi-dimensional story of two very different cultural perspectives and values at first clashing and going haywire but then coming together as one.

Ultimately it’s a tale about setting boundaries and what it really means to be a friend. It’s the human factor that wonderfully tops all in this show. People are people in our many forms, sharing happiness, joy, jealousy and pain, most of all love, for each other and ourselves. All of these characters “clean house” inside and out and find just a little bit of chutzpah to make some interesting and positive life changes. It’s fun!

Excellent performances by the entire cast, Kim Chase (Parker Reed), Ingrid Oliu (Rosario Rodriguez), Marina Gonzalez Palmier (Doña Maria Rodriguez), Maria Russell (Blanca Rodriguez) and Robert Jekabson (Vladimir), who really commit to every inch of this very relevant play.

Recommended for all audiences.