STAGE REVIEW : ‘Family Secrets’ a Tour de Force for Sheri Glaser

Five members of a middle-class Jewish family each get a chance to tell “Family Secrets” in Sheri Glaser’s remarkable show of that name at the Heliotrope Theatre.

The secrets are funny, sad and thoroughly detailed, if not always astonishing. But what lifts the show above the sometimes familiar material is that Glaser plays all five characters, in successive monologues.

First she introduces Mort, a middle-aged accountant who briefs us on everyone else, obliquely complaining that his job appears to be making everyone else happy. The only man in the quintet, Mort is the biggest stretch for Glaser, but the glum way she wrinkles her cheeks is so accurate it compensates for the fact that she’s clearly not a man (a buttoned-up jacket might further assist the suspension of disbelief).

Next up is Beverly, Mort’s wife, a former mental patient, now an aspiring judge. Her scrunched-up shoulders hint at what’s behind the pro forma smile. She had a deep dark secret that required years of therapy, but she’s in fairly good spirits now, as long as she keeps taking her pills. We wish her well.

Fern, the older daughter, then takes the stage to discuss and illustrate her pregnancy, labor and home birth with buoyant good humor as well as a respect for the miraculous quality of this particular “secret.”

Fern’s 16-year-old sister Sandra follows intermission with an account of her latest skirmishes in her war with her parents, and the inadvertently revealing story of how she lost her virginity last night. So why isn’t the guy calling her today? Befitting Sandra’s anxiety and hostility, Glaser keeps her arms and legs on the prowl, without ever finding much comfort.

Finally, it’s Rose’s turn--not Mama Rose, but Grandma Rose--Mort’s octogenarian mother. Glaser throws her voice and gait into an uncanny representation of an old Jewish lady who has a new love. While it is a happy ending, it’s not a completely sentimental one.

Pertinent taped musical selections and an unobtrusive slide show pass the time while Glaser changes wigs and costumes in between monologues. Glaser’s husband, Greg Howells, co-wrote “Family Secrets.” Robyn Samuels directed.

But this is essentially Glaser’s vehicle, and she makes the most of it. Can she also do characters outside this family? If so, her little show may be the start of something big. Even if she can’t, however, this family is a rich sampling of humanity, brought to life with tenderness and a light-hearted sense of proportion.

At 660 N. Heliotrope Drive, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., through April 8. Tickets: $15; (213) 466-1767.