Dotty lives what most of us would consider a “sheltered life.”

She hasn’t left her apartment in seven years. She suspects absolutely nothing when a nude photo of another woman appears in the jacket pocket of her less-than-affectionate husband Hamel. She still follows her mother’s advice that would make even a 1950s housewife cringe. Dotty’s style of dress also seems stuck in that period.

She lives an existence that seems straight out of Samuel Beckett-style absurdism. But what happens next would be more fitting in a Lewis Carroll novel than anything else.

Burien Actor’s Theatre opens its 35th season with “Out of Sterno” by Deborah Zoe Laufer, a surrealist black comedy that explores a naïve young woman’s awakening to modern feminism with quirky twists and turns that keep you guessing up until the very end.

“Out of Sterno” is directed by Rochelle Flynn and Maggie Larrick, the same duo who brought us last year’s “Coney Island Christmas,” another show about a young lady’s transition from childhood to adulthood. While this time Dotty is technically already an adult, her maturity and outlook on life more resembles someone who hasn’t left the crib yet.
The story begins as Dotty receives a mysterious phone call from a woman asking to rendezvous with her husband Hamel. Not believing for a moment that Hamel is philandering around behind her back, Dotty leaves her apartment for the first time in seven years to investigate this matter for herself. What follows next is Dotty developing an unlikely “friendship” with Zena, a catty beauty salon owner. Zena unexpectedly takes Dotty under her wing after discovering Dotty’s toenail painting abilities can be lucrative for her business.

Throughout the show we see Dan (played by Connor Kinzer, who plays eight characters of varying personalities and genders), someone who fills out the strange cast of characters Dotty encounters in her eye-opening excursion into the “real world.” One moment Dan is a privileged society lady waiting to get her 11:30 manicure and the next he’s a host of bizarre personalities inhabiting an equally bizarre bus ride.

To discuss where this journey goes would undermine the pleasures of the story. “Out of Sterno” is best enjoyed when you just sit back and see where the play unfolds, even if it makes little logical or realistic sense. Just relish a tale that’s described as Alice in Wonderland meets Pee-wee Herman.

Dotty is played by Stephanie Spohrer, whose infectious energy and happy-go-lucky personality enthusiastically carries the show from beginning to end. She is truly a joy to watch. Mahria Zook is Zena, whose abrasive attitude seems to be almost a parody of the beauty/fashion industry, though her character probably isn’t too far off from the truth. Hamel, Dotty’s dismissive husband, is played by BAT regular Adam Hegg. Hegg brings a great balance of sleaziness and nonchalance to the role. Connor Kinzer shows off his broad acting range by playing characters that are larger than life but never go too deep into losing their humanity.

The show is suitable for ages 13+ due to occasional adult language.
“Out of Sterno” runs from Sept. 26-Oct. 19, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. General admission is $20, senior rate is $17 and students are only $10. Seven Dollar Sunday is Sept. 28. For further ticket information, please visit burienactorstheatre.org or call 206-242-5180.