Inspired by true events, "Casa Valentina", a new play by Harvey Fierstein, follows a group of heterosexual men who escape to the Catskills to live their weekends as pearl-donned ladies.  Mr. Fierstein, a longtime devotee of the cross-dressing narrative, has once again given us a glimpse into a subculture, this time even more niche than usual. Long has the man-in-a-dress routine been used for laughs; "Casa Valentina", though, has a more sobering effect.   The fun stops when George, the owner of the Chevalier d’Eon resort, faces financial ruin. More insidious, is a looming scandal when a set of pornographic images threatens to derail George’s very own Eden.

A top notch ensemble carries this staid plot and does its very best with some very didactic lines. Rather than letting the story unfold, Fierstein rams its preaching down our throats.  With such an intriguing premise, the execution feels hollow.  Most troubling is how much potential the play seems to have; all the ingredients for a provocative and enduring tale are present, however undercooked they may be.

Not all is lost here.  Director Joe Mantello does a fantastic job with the material and creates some truly dynamic stage pictures. The play begins with a startling tableau where each man is transforming at their own vanity; in such moments there is rare beauty and tenderness, and as an audience we long for more.  The production's elements are equally thrilling, particularly the costume and set design, which allows these dowdy ladies who lunch to roam freely.

Reed Birney is immaculate as Charlotte; the villainess feels like your rich grandmother who will take away your inheritance with any misstep you make.  Rita (a marvelous Mare Winningham), George’s wife and co-owner of the Chevalier d’Eon, breaks your heart while making you breakfast. Patrick Page as George/Valentina leads a terrific ensemble with steady hands.

Fierstein has given us a peek into a microcosm of the vastly complicated and nuanced world of gender-bending psychosexuality. Sadly, we never graduate from more than just the surface. "Casa Valentina" ends abruptly and we leave puzzled and unsatisfied.   When Rita promises newcomer Miranda the weekend of his life, we can’t help but feel we’ve both been duped.