TRUE West?

True West

Stages of Gray

Shaun Ryan, Kevin Ferris, Maureen O'Donnel

Director Randall Gray announced in his curtain speech that this production of Sam Shepard’s True West is the only production licensed here in the west or maybe in the United States.  His cast of four for the Arvin Cast (there’s a second cast called “Barstow” presenting a different take on the play) includes 

Austin: Kevin Ferris, 

Lee: Shaun Ryan, 

Saul Kimmer: Cliff Ingram, 

Mom: Maureen O’Donnell.

Director Gray may be a student of Antoine Artaud or might have been going for an odd breaking the fourth wall, audience alienation thing.    Interminable pauses and really bad acting must fall back to the director unless wooden recitation and aimless meandering were part of his plan. This play is by a pre-eminent American author whose work is raw and unique.  It should run about ninety minutes as a long one act.   Gray’s production comes in at almost two and a half hours with an intermission.    

True West by Sam Shepard

Stages of Gray Theatre

299 N . Altadena Drive

Pasadena, CA 91109

Tickets: 800 811 4111