Challenging Theatre... Confetti!
I am an unabashed fan of the playwright Lucas Hnath. Thanks to him, American contemporary theatre has characters with substance and ideas that are so off the wall that sticking with them is sometimes a rollercoaster ride.
What I love about Artistic Director Chris Fields and The Echo Theatre in Atwater is that they find projects that seem to be designed to draw the audience in and give them a five course meal: Soup to Nuts!
That said, in The Echo Theatre production of Hnath's "The Thin Place" the stuff of the play takes place in the imaginations of the audience almost as much as within the production itself.
Greeted by door attendants we are given the opportunity to participate in a séance. Psychic: Linda, a Landed Brit, (confident Janet Greaves) has asked us to write the name of a departed friend or relative on a slip of paper which is deposited in a decorative urn at one end of the 'tennis court' setting designed by Abigail Deser and Amanda Knehans
. Hilda (excellent Caitlin Zambito) roams the open space, taking in the audience, remembering her recently departed grandmother who attempted to teach her to "receive" psychic messages via her third eye. Hilda tries it with us with no success.
As the meeting ends, Hilda stays to engage Linda with questions. A bond develops. Linda has arrived from England having had some questionable issues with her homeland Business Practices.
Confetti!
As Hilda narrates her blooming friendship with Linda, she magically changes the séance space into the swank home of Sylvia (Corbett Tuck). Sylvia,who has, evidently been a patron of Linda, is elegant in emerald green and sky high ankle strap pumps. Sylvia's relationship with Jerry (Justin Huen) who factors into the story in an odd way seemed a bit unclear, though romantic? Jerry's ideas regarding charity may spark internal conflict in the best of us.
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| Justin Huen, Corbett Tuck, Caitlin Zambito, Janet Greaves Photo by OddDog Pictures |
What Hnath does and has done with his other work is to give voice to characters who may echo the thoughts that any of us may have had about life. Is there life after death? What is the 'Thin Place?"
Director Abigail Deser's staging on the comfortably open space is fluid and beautifully choreographed. Some of the conflict between Jerry and Sylvia may turn on copious goblets of wine and whether or not charity is actually a good thing remains unclear to me.
Hilda's 'drive' from Sylvia's home, with Linda in tow, to the house where Hilda grew up is brilliant, leaving us to contemplate the idea of a 'place' where the corporeal essence of ourselves may linger mysteriously. Very mysteriously.
"The Thin Place...."
CAST
Hilda: Caitlin Zambito
Linda: Janet Greaves
Jerry: Justin Huen
Sylvia: Corbett Tuck
STAFF
LITERARY MANAGER Michael Sturgis
COMPANY MANAGER Mak Vogel
MARKETING ASSOCIATE Tessa Slovis
BOX OFFICE ASSOCIATE Amanda Horowitz
DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE Emily Wattez
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Justin Huen
DROP DESIGN The Fourth Wall Design
VIDEOGRAPHY Shea William Vanderpoort
SEAMSTRESS Roxanna Romero
GRAPHIC DESIGN Christopher Komuro
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Irene DH Lee
PUBLICIST
Lucy Pollak
LIGHTING DESIGN
Matt Richter, Hayden Kirschbaum
SOUND DESIGN
Alysha Bermudez
SCENIC DESIGN
Abigail Deser, Amanda Knehans
THE THIN PLACE
By Lucas Hnath
Directed by Abigail Deser
Echo Theater Company
Atwater Village Theatre
3269 Casitas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90039y
Previews: March15, March16, March17
Performances: March 18 – April 24
• Wednesday at 8 p.m.: March 15 ONLY (preview)
• Thursday at 8 p.m.: March 16 ONLY (preview)
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: March 17 (preview), March 24, March 31, April 7, April 14, April 21
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: March 18 (opening night), March 25, April 1, April 8, April 15, April 22
• Sundays at 4 p.m.: March 19, March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23
• Mondays at 8 p.m.: March 20; March 27, April 3, April 10, April 17, April 24
PARKING:
FREE in the Atwater Crossing (AXT) lot one block south of the theater
TICKET PRICES:
Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays: $34
Mondays: Pay-What-You-Want
Previews: Pay-What-You-Want
www.EchoTheaterCompany.com
(310) 307-3753
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