American Roulette
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| Sofia achez-Muir and Molly Ellenbecker |
I was mightily impressed with American Roulette, a joint production by
Theater Artists Olympia and Animal Fire Theatre at Capital Playhouse, directed
by Brian Hatcher.
The play by Christopher Evans and Fredric
Hendricks is about a school shooting. It is presented monologue style with a
sparse set and very few props. Actors enter one at a time, talk directly to the
audience, and exit. Occasionally two or more will enter together and interact.
This quiet, unpretentious presentation intensifies an already highly dramatic
story. It is one day, 24 hours, in the lives of 11 characters, nearly all
students, plus two radio personalities, a teacher and a construction worker who
just happens to be working in the school when one of the students comes in and
starts shooting.
We are given highly personalized glimpses
into the lives of each of the people. We see what they like and dislike, what
scares them, what and who they love and what they long for, and what drives
them up the wall. Many of the monologues are insanely funny in the beginning;
some are sad and touching.
And then all hell breaks loose. Not a
surprise; there’s plenty enough foreshadowing, just as in actual mass shootings
we see many signs in retrospect.
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| Ethan Bujeaud - photos by Michael Christopher |
But mass shootings never end when the
shooting stops. There is an aftermath, which is gut-wrenching, poignant and
revealing.
The notable aspect of this play is that it
does not lecture or moralize. There is no attempt to drive home a point,
political or social. It is just lives laid bare.
Most of the actors are young and relatively
inexperienced. They have to be because the characters are high school students.
They all do a good job of becoming their characters. These are tough roles to
play. Austin C. Lang brings depth to the football player, Brian, and is
absolutely believable in the most dramatic scene in the play. Sofia Sanchez-Muir
plays the cheerleader, Megan, with sensitivity. Robert Bristol is delightful as
the punk druggy Bonzai. Ethan Bujeaud plays a troubled youth, Robert, in a
convincingly understated, almost deadpan manner. We see turmoil beneath his
almost expressionless demeanor. The adult actors are outstanding, especially
Ryan Hendrickson as the history teacher, Christopher Rocco as Mike, the
construction worker who holds a dying student in his arms, and Morgan Picton as
the wild radio DJ, Dan.
The director was a
cast member of the original production, which took place on the campus of the
University of Montana in April of 1999 and, coincidentally, closed 10 days
before the shootings at Columbine High School, from which he graduated in 1988.
The play has been slightly updated and has some regional references including,
among others, a clever shout-out to local theater personality Michael
Christopher.
American
Roulette
not well known. It is so obscure, in fact, that when I Google it all I can find
is a video game by the same name, and when I Google the playwright’s name I
find an actor and a British playwright, neither of whom is the author of this
play. It should be better known. It should be performed in every town in
America. Olympia, you’re lucky to have a chance to see this play.
WHERE:
The Capital Playhouse, 612 E 4th Ave., Olympia
WHEN:
Thursdays through Saturdays, 8 p.m. through Nov. 23 with a Sunday matinee at 2
p.m. Nov. 24
TICKETS:
$12.00 at the door or at http://www.brownpapertickets.com
Theater
Artists Olympia (TAO) http://www.olytheater.com
Animal
Fire Theatre (AFT) http://www.animalfiretheatre.com
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