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Chocolate
Confessions
Music, comedy and
chocolate highlight one-woman show
 By SUE CHAPEL
LAKE OSWEGO REVIEW, WEST LINN TIDINGS
Lovers of
chocolate and musical theater will satisfy
their cravings at a special Valentine event,
“Chocolate Confessions,” performed by Lake
Oswego playwright and actress Joan Freed.
Presented by Lakewood Theatre Company, the
one-woman musical comedy will be performed
three evenings, Feb. 14 to 16. Curtain time
is 8 p.m. and doors open at 7:30 p.m. for
the cabaret-style seating at LTC’s Side Door
Stage at Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368
S. State St. The show focuses on chocolate
shop owner Coco Bliss as she welcomes a
variety of amusing and offbeat characters
into her shop.
“There’s
quite a variety of customers,” said Freed,
“and each one is compelled to share their
chocolate confessions through a song.”
Beside
the customers’ tantalizing stories, Freed
shares vignettes about chocolate, ranging
from the origins of M&Ms to the secret life
a professional chocolate taster. Her
original monologue is joined with rarely
heard musical theater songs that are as
different as the characters she portrays.
“There’s
a little of everything, “ Freed explains,
“from classical to country, rock to rap,
lounge-lizard to lullaby and lots of
traditional musical theater songs in
between."
Setting
is important to Freed, and she felt a
chocolate shop was a good vehicle for her
characters. With a chocolate theme
throughout, she had to do chocolate research
– an easy task for someone with a life-long
love of the famous candy – and search for
the appropriate music.
“It’s
like opening a box of chocolates and picking
out the best ones,” said Freed, referring to
the music she chose to perform. “The show
allows me to perform great songs that are
often buried. And I found out all kinds of
new things about chocolate!”
Her
characters also require time to perfect.
Shop owner Coco Bliss – described by Freed,
as most like herself – needed a name
appropriate for the owner of a chocolate
shop. One evening at the Oregon Symphony,
while enjoying a YoYo Ma concert with her
husband, Freed thought of “Coco Ma.” The
name eventually changed to Coco Bliss when
Freed remembered a college friend of her
brother’s named Felicity Bliss.
Just
like Bliss, Freed’s success with musical
comedy had to evolve. Before moving to Lake
Oswego in 1980, Freed and her family lived
in Los Angeles where she was born and
raised. After earning a master’s degree, she
worked as an actuary, but felt life was too
short and it was important to do different
things. She was attracted to theater through
her children when they took drama classes at
Lakewood Center.
“Wow, it
was really exciting,” explained Freed,
remembering her first feelings about
theater. Eventually she tried out for – and
got – a part in the LTC production of “Kiss
Me Kate.” That was eight years ago, and
since then she has performed with Portland’s
Musical Theatre Company, Broadway Rose, and
more parts with LTC.
“As time
went on, I realized my opportunities would
be greater if I created them myself,” Freed
continued.
About
two years ago she began her one-woman
musical comedy performances, and “Chocolate
Confessions” is her most recent production.
During
the show, Lake Oswego vendors will offer
chocolate samples (Bernard C. Chocolaterie),
plus chocolate desserts (La Provence Bistro
and Bakery), wine (The Elegant Basket),
coffee (Pacific Coast Cookies and Coffee)
and more Bernard C. chocolate for sale.
Seating is limited and advance ticket
purchases are strongly recommended. Tickets
are available at LTC box office at Lakewood
Center for the Arts of by calling
503-635-3901.
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