Strong Cast Is What Separates Play From Ordinary

John Guare based his play "Six Degrees of Separation" on the true story of a con artist posing as the son of Sidney Poitier in the 1980s. The title came from the idea that no more than six steps separate an individual from everyone else on the planet.

It's a sobering thought that we all have an equal chance of connecting with a movie star and a criminal.

Gorilla Theatre's production of Guare's 1990 work demonstrates this phenomenon with some of the best actors in the Tampa area. Director Nancy Cole has brought together a fantastic cast to portray characters who are both fascinating and repellent.

The story begins when a young black man ingratiates himself with a wealthy couple in New York's Upper East Side after claiming to be mugged. He says his name is Paul Poitier (Bechir Sylvain), the son of actor Sidney Poitier, and he quickly beguiles Ouisa and Flan Kittredge (Ami Sallee Corley and Drew DeCaro) with stories about his famous father.

The Kittredges are art dealers who savor the pretensions of money, fame and class. It's no wonder Paul captures their attention; he feeds their appetite for good gossip while serving them dinner under the glow of their prized Kandinsky painting. Paul alone probably realizes the irony of a black man satisfying the couple's classist expectations.

When the Kittredges and their similarly duped friends realize this stranger is really a grifter (and no relation of Sidney Poitier), they recast him as a crack-smoking gutter dweller. Ouisa, however, continues to be inextricably drawn to Paul, even after blood has been shed.

At Thursday's opening, Sylvain did a phenomenal job rappelling Paul's intricate layers, jumping deftly from earnest and solicitous to cagey and desperate. He drew a sympathetic, realistic character who betrayed the others' phony facades.

Corley knocked out a terrific performance as the overacting, hyperbolic Ouisa without overacting herself - truly an impressive show of skill.

Kyle Porter deserves a special nod for appearing as the thong-clad hustler. He is obviously devoted to his craft, but no less so than his cast mates.

With such a wealth of talent at hand, theatergoers could come close to connecting with Poitier - or at least Kevin Bacon.

THEATER REVIEW

Six Degrees of Separation

WHEN: Through Dec. 21; 7 p.m. Thursday and Dec. 18; sold out Friday; 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 and

7 p.m. Dec. 14, 8 p.m. Dec. 19 (talkback with cast follows performance); 7 and 10 p.m. Dec. 20; 3 p.m. Dec. 21

WHERE: Gorilla Theatre, 4419 N. Hubert Ave., Tampa

TICKETS: $20 to $25; call (813) 879-2914 or go to www.gorillatheatre.com.