'Dottie S. Dixon' is delightful, but show runs slightly too long

"THE PASSION OF SISTER DOTTIE S. DIXON — Second Helpings," Pygmalion Theatre Company, through Oct. 25, Rose Wagner Center (801-355-2787); running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (one intermission)

With an exuberant, "Oh my heck! Look at ya!" Sister Dottie S. Dixon takes the stage again, returning in a slightly revised "The Passion of Sister Dottie S. Dixon — Second Helpings."

"You remind me of a bunch of people at Golden Corral going back for second helpings."

Fresh off of winning three of City Weekly's Arty Awards, Dottie thanked the crowd for their votes and dubbed herself "one of the most famous Mormons on the planet."

The crowd at Saturday night's show was happy to take the credit.

Sister Dixon passed out doughnut holes and "bum cushions" to the folks on the front row, and it felt very much like settling down with an old friend.

When Dottie performed in the spring, it was the most successful show Pygmalion Theatre Company has ever produced. With a regular show on KRCL, she already has a built-in audience and is clearly building a wider appeal.

In case you missed it, the character of Sister Dixon is based on the real-life mother of actor and co-creator Charles Lynn Frost, who, along with writing partner Troy Williams, created a one-woman show about Dottie's relationship with the church she loves and the confusion it causes when she finds out the son she loves is gay.

Dottie is delightful — full of warmth and acceptance, and her cultural idiosyncrasies make her endearing. With frequent mispronunciations ("hairy Christians" instead of "Hari Krishnas," etc) she keeps you on your listening toes so as not to miss anything funny.

The trick with settling down with an old friend is that, as they begin to tell us our favorite story, it tends to get a little bit longer. And that's what happened with Dottie.

As the two men revisited the script, to tweak and adjust it — common with original works — they created 20 more minutes of material.

The one-person show now clocks in at 2 hours and 30 minutes … which just feels too long to watch one person — even one as colorful as Dottie.

Also in the new mix, I noticed a couple of zingers toward Mormons that I don't remember from last time. It's never mean … but I'm not so sure they're necessary.

One minor note: Poor Dottie fidgeted with her wig and bra this time around. Granted, not the normal attire for actor Frost, but the actions just didn't seem to fit as well this time.

Sister Dartsey Foxmoreland (Kent Frogley), Dottie's longtime friend, is back, as well as the vocalizations of The Divine Feminine (Lisa Giacoletto). Both are great.

Dottie's message is still a good one. And the more personal moments — when Dottie talks with her son, or faces her church — are quite tender and beautifully done.

Sensitivity rating: Mild language, brief sexual discussions about Dottie's wedding night.

e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com