Tag: Shot in the Dark
‘Art’ leaves you hanging
by musicboss on Nov.17, 2009, under Nightlife
The latest offering from the folks at Shot in the Dark Productions is a dramedy from award-winning author Yasmina Reza. The play, originally produced in French, follows three old friends dealing with their changing lifestyles. Serge, played by local comedian Garie Lewis, stirs up the relationship by purchasing an odd piece of art. His buddies, Marc, played by theater regular, Christopher Gaul and Yvan, played by relative newcomer Trey K. Blackburn struggle with the reasoning for the purchase. The storyline wanders along aimlessly, leaving patrons searching for a climax. The painting is symbolic of the play itself…what’s the point.
Blackburn, Lewis and Gaul, left to right.
The men do a fine job considering the lack of “meat” in the dialogue. Once again, Lewis and Gaul show they have a strong chemistry on stage. Hopefully we’ll see these two together again with a script that allows them to shine. Blackburn does a nice job with some of the rare, funny lines in the play. The one act play abruptly ends about 80 minutes in. Perhaps it is Reza’s intention to leave the audience wondering if they missed something, or maybe there is something lost in the translation.
The Evelyn Larson theater is home to Shot in the Dark Productions. Located in lovely downtown Sioux City, the small theater provides patrons with a unique evening of entertainment. Director, Jamie Lempares creates a nice environment on the small stage with limited scene changes. There are two more performances of ‘Art’, November 20 and 21.
‘Art’ a play by Yasmina Reza
November 20 & 21
Evelyn Larson Theater
413 Nebraska Street
Doors at 6:30; curtain at 8:00
Tickets: $10 single; $18 couple
Was that a “Little Dog”?
by musicboss on Jun.22, 2009, under Nightlife
Shot in the Dark Productions claims to be “modern theater for modern people”. The latest play being presented by this slightly underground group certainly has a progressive, if not modern, feel to it. The graphic subject matter in “The Little Dog Laughed” takes patrons out of their comfort zone with a tasteful little bit of nudity…male nudity. The bold act for a theater in small town Iowa hits the mark. The brief nudity makes the characters more believable as well as serving up one of the funniest moments in the 2 act play.
Writer Douglas Carter Beane earned a couple of Tony Award nominations with this Hollywood-themed play from 2006. His clever story and laugh-out-loud lines gave the Shot in the Dark troupe a lot of juicy bits to run with. Joey Myers makes the most of her tasty dialogue as the domineering talent agent, Diane. The character becomes very real and likeable as Myers handles the solo moments with the audience with panache. She provides some of the finer moments during the approximately 2-hour long play. Bryan Deck plays the “confused” actor, Mitchell. His facial gestures and quirky body language provide a steady comedic feel, reminiscent of an old Jerry Lewis movie. Considering the, uh, stretch of this role, Deck shows once again that he belongs on center stage. The cast is rounded out with Tony Lempares as the sexy drifter, Alex, and Mandy Suing as Alex’s girlfriend, Ellen. Suing is gifted with some of the funniest lines in the play and she does a nice job delivering them.
“The Little Dog Laughed” is a very funny play with a unique presentation. The local group of thespians pull it off quite well, offering an enjoyable evening of live entertainment. The edgy subject matter of their performances and struggling-artist feel of the Evelyn Larson Theater is a cool addition to Sioux City nightlife. The play has 2 more performances, June 26 and 27 with curtain at 8:00 pm. For the price of a movie, $8.00, you can enjoy live theater, support local artists and have a good laugh.
