Count on ‘Callie’s Tally’

The show must go on.
Southern Rep., formally located in New Orleans, was forced to shut its doors when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city. Although the theater has plans to reopen by May 2006, shows such as “The Sunken Living Room,” “Stop Kiss” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” were either cancelled or rescheduled to another venue.
The same happened to writer Betsy Howie’s memoir “Callie’s Tally: An Accounting of Baby’s First Year of What My Daughter Owes Me.”
The play will be at LSU’s Reilly Theater, located on Tower Drive.
Callie’s Tally is a solo comedy show following a career-driven woman as she struggles with motherhood. She evolves from selfish to selfless, while desperately clinging to the only thing that offers any sense of control – a year’s worth of receipts from the purchases she makes for her baby daughter.
Hosted by the Swine Palace, Baton Rouge’s non-profit professional theater, in conjunction with Louisiana State University’s Reilly Theatre, all proceeds from the show will go towards Southern Rep’s theater company.
“There are only two professional theaters in the state of Louisiana,” said Vastine Stabler, representative for the Swine Palace. “Despite the damage the hurricane (Katrina) caused, we need to make sure the theater isn’t lost.”
“This is a very comical play,” Stabler said. “Rebecca Buller, an undergraduate theater major is performing as Callie in this solo production.”
Buller, whose talent was praised by Stabler, has starred as Miranda in William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”
The one-night show will premiere Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Reilly Theater. The suggest ticket price is $6.
“This $6 is suggested because people may not be able to afford it or some may want to donate more,” Stabler said. “And attire is casual. Nothing fancy.”