BWW Previews: THE REALISTIC JONESES at The College Of Southern Nevada Backstage Theatre

Even before social media, people always assumed that what public face was presented to the world was the reality of that person. "The Realistic Joneses," which was performed on Broadway in 2014, combines comedy and pathos as Bob and Jennifer Jones meet new neighbors John and Pony Jones with identical homes and a common last name. A Public Fit Theater Company will present the play in The College of Southern Nevada Backstage Theatre April 27-May 7.

Associate Artistic Director of A Public Fit Theater Company Daniel Kucan directed the play. While he has directed other projects, this is his first time directing a full production for A Public Fit. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Kucan has lived and worked in New York City and is now based in Los Angeles. Kucan has followed his artistic career as an artist, interior designer, actor, writer and television personality. Kucan's family, including father and brother, are also involved with the theater company.

About the selection of "The Realistic Joneses," according to Kucan, "It is a bold and audacious choice for a young theater company. When this play was performed on Broadway, it was written for the people doing it and it became more like a piece of performance art. Of course, our theater company presenting this play is like me doing a monologue first performed by Spaulding Gray."

Kucan believes that the best way to approach this play is, "to take the words and the concept, throw them all into a blender with a healthy dose of whiskey and rock 'n' roll, set the speed to liquefy and pour out a very special kind of milkshake."

As an experimental director, Kucan prefers to show what something is by showing what something is not and mashing up the concept to create a negative space as an emotional experience. "I am going in as an anarchistic punk rocker and tearing everything up and then delicately put everything together, but you have to make a mess." The approach reflects the play, showing organized lives, which are really very messy.

"The Realistic Joneses," written by Will Eno, first premiered at the Yale Repertory Theater in 2012 and opened on Broadway on April 6, 2014. The play closed on July 6, 2014 after 105 performances. The play was also presented as an A.C.T. production in the Geary Theater in San Francisco in 2016.

"The Realistic Joneses" features cast members Mike Rasmussen, Rebecca Reyes, Timothy Cummings and Tina Rice. Performances will take place at The College of Southern Nevada Backstage Theatre located at 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. Show times are 7 p.m. April 27-29, 2 p.m. April 30, 7 p.m. May 4-6 and 2 p.m. on May 5. Immediately following the performance a moderated discussion of the play's themes, style and impressions, called The Buzzz, will be held. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit apublicfit.org.

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