3 Girls Theatre presents AJ Baker's "The Right Thing"

A new theatrical company called 3 Girls Theatre has arrived in town headed by Suze Allen, AJ Baker and Lee Bradley. This company has launched their inaugural season with a four week celebration of Women’s History Month at the Thick House with the world premiere of AJ Baker’s “The Right Thing” as part of month’s events.

AJ Baker by day is attorney Alisa J. Baker practicing executive employment law as a partner in the San Francisco law firm. By night, she is a season playwright AJ Baker, a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Playwright Center of San Francisco. She knew what she was doing by writing “The Right Thing” an 85 minute drama about sexual harassment in the corporate world.


High powered CEO Zell Gardner has been fired for sexual harassment. This gal is stressed since she is broke, jobless, her lover who still works with company is not taking her calls and she has even been betrayed by her cherished goddaughter. Did I say this woman loves her booze also? This woman is really struggling for survival.

“The Right Thing” takes place in one exhausting day as her high powered attorney is going before the Dispute Resolution and Mediation Service” commonly known as DRAMS. The important opening scene shows negotiations between the corporate people. On opening night this could have been slowed down since the actors were talking so fast in a box set on the upper right side of the deep theatre that it is difficult to comprehend. Hopefully that has been rectified by now.

A lot is going on in this fast pace drama that is set in a series of box sets on a three level stage and you have to keep your mind moving to follow the action of this nonstop talky drama. Many of the scenes are well done especially the confrontation scenes between Zell and her attorney and the scenes between her and her godchild. Sometimes the drama reminds me of the film “Wall Street” when Michael Douglas says “Greed is good”. The drama does keep you guessing as new accusations and conundrums are revealed.

Catherine Castellanos is excellent as the boozy Zell Gardner. She does a great tour de force of silent acting the very first scene as she enters the stage just to get prepare for the confrontation in the conference room. Louis Parnell gives a convincing performance as a high power attorney.

Karina Wolfe as the godchild Sam Curtin gives a genuine performance dressed as a punk child. Her confrontation scene with Zell is a high point of this rapid pace drama. John Flanagan in a small role as the attorney for the company is believable in the role. Lol Levy as Dr. David Heller and Helen Shumaker as the Hon. Leigh Mansfield (Ret) give convincing performances.


Suzi Allen’s direction maintains an interest in the proceedings that is filled with legalize language. Hopefully that opening scene has been corrected by now since it is a key scene that sets off this legal play.


“The Right Thing” is plays on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through April 1 at the Thick House. 1695 18th Street, San Francisco. For tickets go to www.brownpapertickets.com or www.3girlstheatre.org