An Evening of One Acts
Directed by Carrie Phinney and Renee Sevier-Monsey
West End Players Guild
February 10, 2024
Jane Abling, John Reidy
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild
The latest production from West End Players Guild isn’t one play, but seven. An Evening of One Acts presents a series of short plays on the broad theme of relationships, most of them of the romantic variety. It’s an intriguing, entertaining evening featuring an enthusiastic cast and fairly simple production values. Here are some brief thoughts:
“A Sunny Morning”
by Serafin & Joaquin Alvarez Quintero
The focus of this play, set in Spain, is on an older woman, Dona Laura (Jane Abling), and an older gentleman, Don Gonzalo (John Reidy) who meet by chance as Laura sits on a park bench to feed the birds, and Gonazalo looks for a place to rest as his usual bench is occupied. He reluctantly joins Laura on her bench, and the two strike up an initially bristly conversation. As they begin to talk more amicably, they both soon realize that maybe they’re not strangers, after all. This is a bittersweet story that features two memorable performances and strong chemistry, along with some fine supporting work from Lesa Bush and Kurt Knoedelseder as the respective caretakers/companions of Laura and Gonzalo.
“Post Its (Notes on a Marriage)”
by Paul Dooley & Winnie Holzman
The staging of this play is simple, as an unnamed couple (Mike DePope, Amie Bossi) sit on either side of the stage, reading a series of Post-It notes, essentially telling their story from their first date to their eventual marriage and life together. There are some fun moments here, as well as moments of poignancy, featuring understated but compelling performances.
“The Spot”
by Steven Dietz
I’m not entirely sure how this play fits with the overall “relationship” theme, since this is essentially about a political campaign commercial, and the heavy “spin” that Roger (Reidy), who is in charge of the campaign, is encouraging. The “spot” focuses on a woman, Betsy (Shawntay “Tay” Vaughn), who will be endorsing Roger’s candidate, although Roger has doubts about her appeal to voters, as he’s constantly asking his assistant Nelson (Knoedelseder) to check the poll numbers for various topics. Roger is much more impressed with Gloria (Bush), who assists one of his staff members, but who seemingly fits Roger’s “ideal”, while Betsy grows increasingly uncomfortable with Roger’s manipulations, as his staff members Chumley (DePope) and Wagner (Michael Monsey) grow more anxious. This is sharp satire that seems especially timely in an election year, with strong performances all around, although again, I don’t really see where it fits with the overall theme of the evening.
“Left to Right”
by Steven Dietz
Another play by Dietz, this one has something of a confusing structure, as two married couples sit at a table, having a series of conversations in pairs, changing positions when a bell rings. Bossi as Angie, Bush as Dee, Reidy as Ron, and Knoedelseder as Scott are each hiding their own secrets that they are trying not to reveal to their spouses, but as the conversations continue, it’s not always clear what the characters know and what they don’t. The performers do a good job with the overall timing, but this story can be a little difficult to follow.
“Controlling Interest”
by Wayne Rawley
This play features a clever twist, as a “business meeting” turns out to be not quite what it first seems to be. Jack (Reidy), Brad (Monsey), David (DePope), and Steven (Kurt Knoedelseder) are prepare to negotiate with Ashley (Vaughn) and Bethany (Abling) concerning the serious and daunting issue of “boys liking girls”. This is a fun concept, even though it indulges in stereotypes for the sake of much of its humor. The performances and pacing are especially energetic here.
“Surprise”
by Mark Harvey Levine
This is perhaps my favorite play of the set, with a clever premise and strong characterizations. Even though it’s not very long, DePope, as Peter–a psychic who can only see two minutes into the future–and Bossi as Whitney, his increasingly exasperated girlfriend, are convincing and exhibit excellent timing. The two are sharing a contentious date at a restaurant, as sympathetic server Esther (Vaughn) has a surprise in store for Peter. The script is well-constructed, and the performances are strong across the board.
“There Goes the Neighborhood”
by Marjorie Williamson
The final entry for the evening features a nosy woman, Eleanor (Abling) spying on her new neighbor, as her husband, Richard (Knoedelseder) humors her ramblings and assumptions. As Eleanor’s “concerns” about the hairdresser who has moved next door grow more and more elaborate and absurd, it becomes clear that a revelation is coming about Eleanor herself, as well as Richard, which adds a new level of absurdity to Eleanor’s attitude along with a creepy twist. This is a clever concept, well played by Abling and Knoedelseder.
Technically, the staging is simple, with fine work from Sevier-Monsey on lighting and Mary Beth Winslow on sound, as well as props design by Anna Blair. It’s something of a minimalist presentation, with the focus mostly on the actors and the energetic staging. The plays range from sweet to the thought-provoking to disturbing, making for an intriguing evening of theatre.
Shawntay “Tay” Vaughn, Kurt Knoedelseder, John Reidy, Mike DePope, Michael Monsey, Jane Abling
Photo by Carrie Phinney
West End Players Guild
West End Players Guild is presenting An Evening of One Acts at Union Avenue Christian Church until February 18, 2024