SMALL ENGINE REPAIR
Untethered Theatre and Clifton Players
March 30-April 15
Clifton Performance Theatre
Directed by Jared Doren
Cast: Nathan Neorr, Charlie Roetting, Carter Bratton & Rupert Spraul
A casual reunion of three longtime buddies, slouching unprofitably through their 30’s, ultimately betrays a darker purpose.
THIS WIDE NIGHT presented by The Clifton Players through March 4. Click here for more information on the production. I attended the opening night performance.
Miranda McGee as Marie & Dale Hodges as Lorraine.
Can dreams of the future made by cellmates survive the reality of life outside of prison? That possibility is explored in Clifton Players’ production of the two-person play, THIS WIDE NIGHT.
Miranda McGee, perhaps more known for her comedic turns, shines in the challenging role of Marie. Throughout the performance, I was struck how the emotional swings of her character emanated from the actress and always rang true.
As Lorraine, Dale Hodges enters as an adrift soul trying to find solace with the only “family” she has known during her long incarceration. She brings a great vulnerability to the role but there are these great moments of seemingly innocent manipulation that remind the audience she’s not as innocent as she appears.
Miranda McGee as Marie & Dale Hodges as Lorraine.
Faults aside, I was surprised how invested I had become in these two ladies. True to its source material (interviews from recently released inmates) the script doesn’t answer all questions or provide a happy ending.
Director Kevin Crowley keeps the movement within the confirmed space of the studio apartment natural and motivated. There are several great stage pictures created in response to lines in the script that could easily be missed by a less experienced director.
Re-configuring the play space worked well to create Marie’s below street level apartment. I would encourage the covering of the windows above the apartment door as the foot traffic outside was a bit distracting at times.
One element that was unclear to me was how much time had passed between the various scenes. The dialogue in the scenes doesn’t always help. A bit of period underscoring during the scene changes might have helped define the time period. Speaking of the time period, the use of a CD and a shopping bag printed with a web site address were a bit anachronistic. One of the downsides of such an intimate venue. 🙂
Overall, a smartly directed production with strong, emotional true performances.
My rating: 4.25 out of 5
I would enjoy hearing what you think about the show or my review. All I ask is that you express your opinion without attacking someone else’s opinion. You can post your comments below.
Filed under Reviews
THIS WIDE NIGHT
Clifton Players
Feb. 16-March 4
Clifton
Directed by Kevin Crowley
Cast: Dale Hodges & Miranda McGee
THE ROAD THROUGH DAMASCUS
Clifton Performance Theatre
Sept. 15-Oct. 1
Clifton
Written by Robert Macke
Directed by Nate Netzley
Cast: Miranda McGee, Carter Bratton, Emily Fry, Matthew Krieg, Andy Simpson & Kyle Taylor
Imagine a town, not unlike your own. Except its smaller. Smaller than that. Imagine our stage. Yeah, about that size! It’s like your town in that there are people going about their every days lives. Worrying about keeping their jobs and their health. Wondering if they will ever find the person they are looking for and asking the big questions. Questions like, “Is there more to life than this?” “What happens when we die?” “What is solipsism?” “Why does my mailman refuse to deliver the correct mail?” In the small town of Damascus, people have problems just like you. They worry about where to get coffee. They can’t decide who to elect. They try not to make eye contact with their Mayor when he sobs inconsolably outside of Town Hall. Yes, problems just like yours are explored and exposed in the professional premiere of Robert Macke’s The Road through Damascus.
Filed under On Stage
THE ROAD THROUGH DAMASCUS to Open 2016 – 2017 Season at Clifton Performance Theatre
CINCINNATI OHIO–AUGUST 18, 2016— On September 15, 2016, a new play, written by local playwright, Robert Macke, will open the 2016 – 2017 season at Clifton Performance Theatre.
Director Nate Netzley says about, THE ROAD THROUGH DAMASCUS: “It’s is a play about how strange and absurd life can be. A philosophical play, but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. THE ROAD THROUGH DAMASCUS knows it’s a play about small town life that comes from a long line of plays about small town life. Robby knows structure and he has such a unique voice that he can turn something seemingly simple and homespun into a unique piece of drama.”
“I am extremely fortunate to have found a director and collaborator like Nate Netzley. We have worked together since my first workshop of The Road through Damascus back in 2014. We produced it a student studio on Northern Kentucky University’s campus, where we’ve received incredible feedback. Since then we’ve worked together in several Serials at the Know Theatre and with the past Cincinnati Fringe Festival with my play, Golconda. Nate discovers something new in my writing seemingly every day; even some things I didn’t even know about the script. I look forward to see what he finds this time around.” said Robert Macke, the playwright of THE ROAD THROUGH DAMASCUS.
“I am thrilled to have such a talented cast and crew for this show,” continued Netzley. “There are a lot of NKU alumni involved in this show but that’s also because a lot of good people have come out of NKU’s program, especially in the last five or six years and that shows the strength of local talent as well some of the amazing professors that lead that program. Emily, Andy, Matt, and Kyle are all people I have gotten to work with at least once during my time at NKU and I am so lucky to call them my peers. I’ve known Carter for probably eight years at this point and he’s the whole reason I got involved with CPT. He’s one of the hardest working people I know in Cincinnati theatre and just in general. I was overjoyed getting Miranda to work on this show. The role of Bessie requires a lot of an actor and there’s this requirement to flip on a dime and Miranda is so versatile, anyone who has seen her work can attest. I could go on for days about how much I love this cast.”
Tickets are $25. Seniors are $20, and students with ID are $15. They are available online on the Clifton Performance Theatre’s new website at: www.cliftonperformancetheatre.com via www.cincyticket.com
Featuring: Miranda McGee, Carter Bratton, Emily Fry, Matthew Krieg, Andy Simpson, Kyle Taylor
Synopsis: Imagine a town, not unlike your own. Except it’s smaller. Smaller than that. Imagine our stage. Yeah, about that size! It’s like your town in that there are people going about their everyday lives. Worrying about keeping their jobs and their health. Wondering if they will ever find the person they are looking for and asking the big questions. Questions like, “Is there more to life than this?” “What happens when we die?” “What is solipsism?” “Why does my mailman refuse to deliver the correct mail?” In the small town of Damascus, people have problems just like you. They worry about where to get coffee. They can’t decide who to elect. They try not to make eye contact with their Mayor when he sobs inconsolably outside of Town Hall. Yes, problems just like yours are explored and exposed in the professional premiere of Robert Macke’s THE ROAD THROUGH DAMASCUS.
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About the Clifton Players:
The Clifton Players, founded in 2007, are a collective of actors committed to presenting the best local talent performing the funniest, most challenging and irreverent material they can find. The Clifton Players is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
About the Clifton Performance Theatre:
The Clifton Performance Theatre opened its doors in 2009, as the home for the Clifton Players, and other theatre groups. The theatre also hosts youth camps, workshops, classes, as well as rentals for parties, and for like-minded group performances.
Filed under Press Releases
Behind the Curtain Cincinnati 