There are two weeks left on the annual cycle of new plays being held at the Lyceum Space, Thursdays through Sundays. The third week of the Fritz Blitz runs through September 10th, 2006.
Pieces is the work of playwright Cuauhtemoc Q. Kish, of San Diego, and is under the able direction of David J. Kelso. We can be assured that when Kish commits pen to paper, it'll be a thought-provoking piece. Michelle Procopio is Desiree, the love of Kyle, played by Rob Conway. He writes love letters; some are returned unopened, others are answered. Desiree has a debilitating illness leading to an early death. Kyle composes his letters at a small desk. Desiree composes hers first from a daybed and then a wheelchair. Conway is perfect as a lovelorn lad who will do anything to be with his beloved. In desperation Kyle removes his ring finger as a tribute to his love for her. Desiree reacts, understanding his love. Conway can pace and move about, while Procopio convinces us of her character's emotions from her limited confines. Kish's story progression and climax are as interesting as they are shocking.
True Blue by prolific L.A. playwright Mary Steelsmith, with Alysha Haran handling the directorial duties. There's this Green Soldier (Diep Huynh) and this Blue Soldier (William Regan) guarding a demarcation point between two warring countries. We can hear battle sounds in the background. The Green soldier is a career military man whose family and home were decimated by war. The Blue Soldier got his cushy assignment through strings pulled by his uncle. The tour of duty is six months, and this is the last day. Steelsmith views the situation with a smiling eye. Regan is convincing as a rich kid who gets all the great breaks in life, through no effort of his own. Huynh is equally adept as a man who gets all the bad breaks in life; however his character is much more wily and inventive. The actors' physical contrasts add to the believability of the show.
Meet The Family is penned by San Diegan Thelma Virata de Castro, with Anne Tran directing. Castro dissects a family in which well-to-do Filipino parents are despised by their daughter. Dave Park and Sylvia Enrique play parents John and Mary. Enter their Belinda (Tara Ricasa) and her friend, Ryan (Nick Mata), whom we later learn is a lawyer. The play answers the question, "Can a child cause permanent strife within a family?" It appears, according to playwright Castro, yes.
This excellent cast tests just how far you can go on stage with deep-seated emotions in a play that will definitely start a discussion as you leave the theater.
I do hope you've had an opportunity to see some productions in this year's Fritz Blitz. This has been one of the most challenging selections of plays to been seen in a long time.
