Short description

The 13th Annual Playwrights Festival, produced by Key City Public Theatre, premieres three oneact plays by local playwrights James Day, Jack OConnor, and Flip Wingrove, directed by Jeane Myers.

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Last viewed on July 28, 2010, 2:22 pm
It was last updated on February 22, 2009, 3:19 pm
It was originally posted: 2009-01-23 19:23:17
By Key City Players

DESCRIPTION

The 13th Annual Playwrights’ Festival, produced by Key City Public Theatre, premieres three one-act plays by local playwrights James Day, Jack O’Connor, and Flip Wingrove, directed by Jeane Myers.

In this festival, the three winning plays of the 2008 One Act Play Competition sponsored by the Port Townsend Arts Commission receive premiere productions. KCPT’s commitment to developing works by emerging local playwrights continues during this 13th annual event.

Performances run Feb. 20-Mar. 8 at Key City Playhouse, 419 Washington St., Port Townsend.

Curtains are Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. General admission is $15; $10 for students. The pay-what-you-wish performance is Thurs., Feb. 26.

Advance tickets (available beginning Jan. 30) at Quimper Sound Music and Media, 230 Taylor St., Port Townsend; 360-385-2454.

For more info, visit www.keycitypublictheatre.org.

User-Submitted Reviews

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Key City Public Theatre has again jumpstarted its season by mounting full (albeit low-budget) productions of three one-act plays submitted to Port Townsend Arts Commission’s annual contest for local playwrights. If there happened to be any serendipitous unifying theme at The 13th Annual Playwrights’ Festival, it might have been “against all odds.” This year, one person, Jeane Myers, directed all three shows, with capable creative support from Lighting Designer (Albert Mendez), Scenic Artist (Keith Matkins), and Costume Coordinator (Ginger McNew). “The Red Bike”, written by Jack O’Connor, sorts through what passes for family relationships these days, showing us how one small act might begin to erode steel traps we set for each other. A partly cloudy sky (always delightful in Port Townsend) behind an ordinary front door lent a comfortable yet surrealistic quality to the heart-warming conflict. The director cast this opening play well, obviously rehearsing the nuances needed to carry off a taut family drama. The cast included Karl (Lawrason Driscoll) curmudgeonly patriarch, Kim (Jessica Rice) believably feisty daughter who may never please her father, and Richie (Gerry Coker) quiet victim of family neglect. “The Bingo Wars”, written by Flip Wingrove, likens the insanity of a war zone (think MASH) to playing a numbers game in which victory gets declared based on dumb luck. Watching the transformation of the first play’s set into an ominous tent wall of camouflage netting against an amber-colored desert sky was almost worth the price of admission. Major Black (Peter Wiant), over-the-top commanding officer, is in a world of his own. Although the cast was generally believable, it wasn’t clear whether the other characters, including Father Fairchild (Jay Page), Cpt. Calico Cline (Mikaela Euro), Lt. Gizmo Grizinski (Freeman Luoma), and Bingo Caller (Richard Weston) were mere foils to Major Black or were there to augment the play’s central insanity. “Signs of Change”, written by James Daly, shows how one is able face fear by employing one’s own wits against unchecked, unbalanced power. The show’s looming, semi-unwieldy cartoon panels trigger a camp melodramatic interpretation. Some spotlighting of individual characters further recalls old-time comedy. The play’s action, a bit under-rehearsed at times, culminated Saturday night in a noiseless gun battle. The show features a rogue’s gallery of Old Western caricatures including practical Swede (Michael Cavett), saloon-keeping Dolly (Marj Iuro), provincial Doc (Peter Brinch), flatulent Mort (Mickey McKinney), heroic Charlie Pendergast (Charles Duncan), and over-towering Jessie Raven (John Clise) in his William S. Hart hat. On balance, I give these productions of “The Red Bike”, “The Bingo Wars”, and “Signs of Change” 3 amateur stars.

-Steve Treacy February 22, 2009, 1:53 pm

REVIEWS & PREVIEWS	User-Submitted Reviews
	average rating: - from 1 reviewer Read complete reviews Key City Public Theatre has again jumpstarted its season by mounting full (albeit low-budget) productions of three one-act plays submitted to Port Tow ... -Steve Treacy February 22, 2009, 1:53 pm

COMPLETE SCHEDULE

  Friday, February 20, 2009 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  Saturday, February 21, 2009 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  Sunday, February 22, 2009 from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
  Thursday, February 26, 2009 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm   -  
        "Pay What You Wish" sponsored by the PT Arts Commission.
      ------
  Friday, February 27, 2009 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  Saturday, February 28, 2009 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  Sunday, March 1, 2009 from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm
  Thursday, March 5, 2009 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
  Friday, March 6, 2009 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  Saturday, March 7, 2009 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  Sunday, March 8, 2009 from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm

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