Waxing West

Brava Theater
2781 24th Street San Francisco

It's been almost twenty-five years since Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife were executed, but their reign of tyranny still haunts many Romanians. Among them are Daniela, a young women arriving in New York to marry a businessman named Charlie. Daniela is trying to find herself, and being a mail-order bride was never in her plans. Still, she has dreams -- which are far better than the nightmares of life in Romania she still experiences. The ghosts of the Ceausescus appear in Daniela's visions as insatiable vampires, and offer surreal commentary on her journey towards the American Dream. Saviana Stanescu's play tackles serious subjects, but it handles them in a light-hearted and entertaining way, offering hope that Daniela, and the rest of Romania, will soon see better days.