Humor of ‘Tortilla’ Makes a Lightweight Snack

Once you accept the fact that Luis Santiero’s “Our Lady of the Tortilla,” at Alternative Repertory Theatre, is little more than a sitcom episode, you can relax and enjoy its little jokes.

That’s not to say there isn’t more in the play than jokes. Santiero has some comments on the foolishness of empty dreams, the benefit of belief and, most prominently, the value--or lack of value--in maintaining too powerful a hold on one’s heritage. But he doesn’t belabor his comments.

Nelson Cruz (Stephen Flores) returns to his family’s home in New Jersey with his white girlfriend, Beverly (Sarah Lang), and he wants his family to act as white as possible for her. It’s pretty difficult for them.

Nelson is especially concerned about his Aunt Dolores (Lee Anne Moore), who can smell people in purgatory, particularly her own mother and silent-screen star Ramon Navarro, to whom she offers special prayers for special favors.

Mama Dahlia (Dawn Decker) is still pining over the fact that her husband, Pancho, walked out on her for another woman, and brother Eddy (Eddie Rivera) is a pushy hustler trying to promote anything he can.

Nelson rocks the family boat a good bit but almost falls overboard himself when Tia Dolores suddenly sees the image of the Virgin Mary in one of her tortillas. To give away further developments would be unfair. There’s little enough in the plot as there is.

Joel T. Cotter directs the proceedings precisely for what they are, with bright tempos, crisp action and dialogue, leaving little time for nuance, and his cast follows suit.

Moore and Decker are excellent as the sisters, Moore gentle and naive as the spiritual spinster, Decker often very funny as the lovelorn toilet-seat saleswoman. Rivera is pretty stereotypical as the frantic, hustling brother but has his moments of charming sincerity.

Flores and Lang are delightful and energetic, have the proper collegiate elan and make the most of the material. Kathy Blumenfeld is the offstage voice of Eddy’s pregnant girlfriend Valerie, who isn’t allowed out of his van (parked out front), and she’s funny allowing herself to sound just as cheap and vulgar as Eddy’s girlfriend would be.

The play might be stronger if Santiero did belabor some of his deeper comments, but then it would be a different play, and the laughter might not be so loud.

* “Our Lady of the Tortilla,” Alternative Repertory Theatre, 1636 S. Grand Ave., Santa Ana. Friday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m. Ends Sunday. $16-$18. (714) 836-7929. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.

Lee Anne Moore: Dolores Cantu

Stephen Flores: Nelson Cruz

Dawn Decker: Dahlia Cruz

Sarah Lang: Beverly Barnes

Eddie Rivera: Eddy Cruz

Kathy Blumenfeld: Valerie Spinetti

An Alternative Repertory Theatre production of Luis Santiero’s comedy. Directed by Joel T. Cotter. Scenic-lighting design: Gary Christiansen. Costume design: Gina Davidson. Sound design: Douglas Jon Leonard. Stage manager: Colette Naffaa.