←Recommendations of Fable

A wonderful tribute to an era of Broadway and more significantly to the women who dominated the stage with their talent, grit, and sheer force of personality. I knew little about the real June Havoc going in, but it doesn't matter as DeVita creates compelling characters who live on their own and inhabit a fully realized time and place that is such a delight to feel immersed in. The play moves between memories colored by fantasy without ever losing the reader, and DeVita's dialogue is consistently sharp. I look forward to further development of this play.

A legend may live on, but a fable has a lesson for us all. FABLE is a love song from Doug DeVita to the people who gave one of the greatest shows -- musical or otherwise -- and it teaches us is that even with harsh words, abuse, neglect, and self-doubt, there is a bond between them that is told in a way that touches us all. I loved remembering the story of "Gypsy," but more, I felt like I finally knew the people that made it come to life.

A memory play with June Havoc and Gypsy Rose Lee? Tonys, please! As usual, Ethel Merman steals the show.

With "Fable" DeVita delivers a heartfelt vaudeville for a misinterpreted and forgtotten entertainer, featuring smart dialogue with snap and style. At its center, it is a story of abuse and misuse, on the personal and professional level, and how three strong women were in familial combat for the professional advancement of men. A cunning and delightful debate on the value of truth, and a sincere valentine for Baby June. Kudos!

"Gypsy" is one of my favorite musicals, so naturally, I enjoyed the in-jokes and references to that show in this play. But beyond that, this is a story of one woman fighting for her legacy, and how she lives with an enduring (for better or worse) portrayal of her. DeVita cleverly plays with time, and the play often feels as if you are stepping into a surreal landscape of a long, theatrical memory. This play asks a bittersweet question: Will it ultimately matter HOW we're remembered, since most aren't remembered at all? This question gives the play depth and poignancy.

What a sad and funny collection of desperate women DeVita conjures up for us in Fable. Baby June Havoc, Adult June, Gypsy and Ethel Merman come into vivid focus in Devita’s lovingly written play. These unforgettable women are envisaged in the hallucinatory memories of June Havoc. Devita takes on her reluctant journey to the creation of “Gypsy”, one of the most successful musicals of all time. Fascinating is this tale of this iconic musical and of the sibling rivalry that threatened its very existence. Devita’s depiction of notorious Ethel Merman alone is worth the price of admission.

Wow! That’s my first reaction when I finished “FABLE.” It’s very clear DeVita has done his research, and his ability to blur the line between artifice and reality can captivate reader/audience alike. I can’t wait to see where this one-act goes, its truly a unique piece of theatre.

I'm so grateful that DeVita had the phone conversation with June Havoc and that he has given us a gift with his beautiful play Fable. Myth and truth and the grey area between the two are excellently represented in this touching biography of one sister's request to be remembered more truthfully. And yet, as Rose states so well, truth doesn't always sell tickets. But it does sell this gem of a play and what a treat that would be to see Gypsy: A Musical Fable and Fable on the same marquee for an extended run.

While the ultimate conflict of "Fable" is a matter of historic fact, DeVita shows the winding path it took to reach the end point. This one-act play has an audacious theatricality and style. It tells a hugely personal and emotional story. All the characters have agendas and flaws and moments of victory and loss. Highly recommended.

Wow, I've just finished reading this complex and original take on one of the best-known and most beloved musicals. I am so impressed at how Doug has been able to juggle the timing, the movement, the stage business, coming up with a beautiful, tasty salad of a story. It is highly believable, funny, and heartbreaking at the same time, and deserves a production.