Sweet 'Chocolate Confessions'

Actress Joan Freed brings the wisdom of age to her one-woman show

By BONNIE L. VORENBERG
Senior Theatre Expert, SENIOR LIFE

Joan Freed spent most of her life working with numbers. But now she’s spending her time on stage. Actually, she’s surrounded herself with a quirky set of characters – the fascinating folks who enter Coco Bliss’ chocolate shop to share their stories about life, love, and, of course, their passion: chocolate. t all happens in Freed’s one-woman musical comedy, Chocolate Confessions.

     Calling herself “a late bloomer to the arts,” Freed jumped in with both feet. She began taking acting classes before auditioning and being cast in Kiss Me Kate at the Lake Oswego Community Theatre. In an instant, she knew, “this is it – this is what I’ve been looking for.” In was sheer exhilaration.

     After seven years of musical theatre, Freed decided it was time for her to do the show she had always wanted to do. So, she wrote and performed her own material in Crossword Puzzle, which she performed throughout the area. Its success led her to explore one of her passions: chocolate.

     In Chocolate Confessions, Freed has combined likeable characters with lesser known songs from musical theatre. Along with props and costumes, she becomes a quick change artist who introduces you to customer after customer. You end up liking – and believing – every one of them. It works because of her considerable vocal talent that blends well with her theatrical skills in a script that moves quickly. Guiding the show through the many different musical styles is the gifted accompaniment of Craig Jones. Chocolate Confessions brings together songs, characters, and all you’d ever want to know about chocolate, all in one delightful production.

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