Theater review: ‘The Socialization of Ruthie Shapiro’ at Theatre West

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‘The Socialization of Ruthie Shapiro’ at Theatre West is Barbara Nell Beery’s memory play about a pivotal period for its titular protagonist. Actually, the term ‘memory play’ implies something a bit more substantial than the anecdotal vignettes presented here.

Set in Los Angeles, the action follows Ruthie (Claire Partin), first encountered in1996, and her recollections of the seventh grade provide the plot. Jewish math geek Ruthie yearns to be popular, though Nadine (Constance Mellors), her mother, pushes her to focus on the college education that Nadine didn’t get. Meanwhile, Ronnie (Nick McDow), Ruthie’s baseball-whiz brother, has popularity sewn up, having made it a point to avoid social misfits.

Naturally, when Ruthie finally makes a friend, it’s gregarious Loretta (Heather Keller), a gawky, transplanted Texan whose naive anti-Semitism dovetails with Ruthie’s crisis of conscience and eventual betrayal. This is the ostensible thematic objective, but it doesn’t exactly grip us. Although director Susan Morgenstern goes for an unfussy, intimate feeling, author Beery’s idealized script essentially culls adolescent diary pages into an overly discursive scenario that lacks dramatic structure.

Potentially intriguing elements -- Ruthie’s often-absent father, Loretta’s possibly Sapphic interest -- receive short shrift in favor of grown Ruthie repeatedly halting the action to explain what we have seen. What seems the logical climax -- Ruthie dropping Loretta -- takes a backseat to Ronnie’s affronted outbursts and Nadine’s amiable nudging. Though unquestionably sincere, the net effect of ‘Ruthie Shapiro’ is akin to watching an un-produced ‘ABC Afterschool Special.’

-- David C. Nichols

‘The Socialization of Ruthie Shapiro,’ Theatre West, 3333 W. Cahuenga Blvd., L.A. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays. Dark July 4. Ends July 11. $22-$25. (323) 851-7977. Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes.