‘Parade’ Reopens the Commonwealth

John Murrell’s “Waiting for the Parade,” a drama about the trials and tribulations of women on the Canadian home front during World War II, marks the reopening of the Commonwealth Theatre, which has been dark for three years.

The play, which incorporates music and news recordings of the era, relies heavily on easy sentiment. It’s fluffier than it intends to be. However, as a female bonding story it is unparalleled, a golden opportunity for five gifted actresses to show they have the right stuff.

The bonding occurs when various women from different strata of Canadian society are brought together to work for the war effort. Lynette Bennett plays Janet, an overbearing society woman who throws herself into the war relief to mask her shame over her own husband’s shirking. Marsha Dietlein is Eve, a high-strung, idealistic young schoolteacher married to a man much older than herself.

Carol Kiernan, as the earthy and unabashedly sexual Catherine, must cope with the prolonged absence of her husband in the war. Penelope Windust plays Margaret, a lonely but scrappy widow who fears her two grown sons will be sacrificed for the cause. And Melissa Lechner plays the defiant Marta, a German-born Canadian citizen facing ostracism and persecution because of her national origins.

To speak in TV terms, Murrell’s play has more character arcs than a daytime soap, and some of them are just as predictable. Director James Burke, however, selected his players wisely, helping them find what little nuance there is in Murrell’s by-the-numbers play. This “Parade” may not rate ticker tape, but it does deserve a fanfare or two for its splendid cast.

* “Waiting for the Parade,” Commonwealth Theatre, 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends April 1. $15. (213) 660-8587. Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.