Cinnabar Theater hosted one of five productions that opened in the North Bay last weekend.  Dream Hou$e, by Eliana Pipes, may be the least well-known among those five, but it is a show that should be seen. The production runs in Petaluma through February 25. 

Sisters Julia and Patricia have agreed to sell their mother’s house on a reality TV show called Flip It and List It. The process of selling brings up old wounds for the sisters and deep questions are asked about the price of the American Dream and what is ‘authentic’ versus ‘performative’ ethnicity. Despite the heavy issues, Pipes’s magical realism-heavy script is a fun and funny look at these serious questions.

Director Mary Ann Rodgers has put together a strong cast. Bethany Regan is spot-on in her portrayal of uptight Patricia’s quest to cash in financially on her heritage. Linda Maria Giron is adorably sensitive and heartbreaking in the role of the very pregnant younger sister Julia. Rounding out the speaking roles, Heather Shepardson plays conniving TV host Tessa with pitch-perfect comedic timing and despite the comedy is still somehow ominously sinister. 

The play also has three non-speaking roles. John Sheridan, David Smith, and Parker VonThal do a great job of being present in the scenes without pulling focus, which is hard to do. 

Set Designer Hector Zavala has created an excellent piece of theatrical magic for a set that has to undergo destruction and restoration in front of an audience. Zavala’s solution to this challenge results in one of the most satisfying scene shifts I have seen in a long time. 

Costume designer Reynalda Cruz probably created a second pink shortage to craft the immaculate look of TV host Tessa, but it pays off in the storytelling. The only costuming oddity occurs in the first act when everyone but Patricia goes through a costume change and she appears to be wearing the same bright blue dress for two days in a row. However, for one possible costuming glitch in a show that involves stopping time, a (possibly) bleeding house, and a donkey to be the only odd thing is a testament to how well the rest of the artistry is done. And, to be fair, it is a beautiful blue dress and the script leaves a very small window of time for a quick change.

Overall, Dream Hou$e is a good fit for the quirky space that Cinnabar will soon vacate, plus it tells an important story about finding who we are and where we belong.

Thankfully, it tells the story well.

‘Dream Hou$e’ runs through February 25 at Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Fri–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $30–$45. 707.763.8920. cinnabartheater.org

Photos by Victoria Von Thal