Review: St. Louis Actors' Studio's Intriguing LABUTE NEW THEATER FESTIVAL

We're so lucky to have the privilege of having the St. Louis Actors' Studio present the Labute New Theater Festival each year. Submissions come from around the country, are whittled down to a few, and then presented in two parts, with each section receiving a full two week run. In addition, there are staged readings of the High School finalists who also submit their new works. While I was unable to attend the first part, I did get a chance to see the second, and was pleased with the results of this years' choices. It was a good mixture of styles and approaches, and it continues to be something our region should be very proud of.

The evening began with Neil LaBute's LIFE MODEL, another gem from a world renowned and gifted writer who knows how to take a situation and turn it on its head. Labute's one acts are also a highlight of the festival, and this one doesn't disappoint. Under the fine guidance of director John Pierson, we're presented with an artist and their model, but with one of Labute's signature twists on their relationship. Jenny Smith does sharp work playing the befuddled artist, who makes it clear to her model that she has no intention of ever showing her work in public. During a break in posing, the model, nicely performed by Bridgette Bassa, happens to take a peek at the sketches, which display less talent than a child. Her outrage makes her question the validity of these sessions she's participating in, and the possible motives that would drive someone to pay for a model to pose, especially when they possess no discernible skill.

Adam Seidel's AMERICAN OUTLAWS follows, with Pierson again taking the helm. It's a taut and intriguing piece which finds Mitch (a splendid Eric Dean White) approaching a hit man, cunningly played by David Wassilak (Mike), to take out his wife's lover. And, then the convolutions begin, ending with a slightly predictable outcome, but maintaining a considerable degree of unease and tension along the way.

SHOW OF AFFECTION by Laurence Klavan is a more fanciful and absurd take on the legend of the wurdulak, a term which I first saw used to describe a vampire in Mario Bava's episodic film Black Sabbath. Director Patrick Huber takes a humorous approach that fits the overall tone of the piece. Here we have a suburban family getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, while dealing with the fact that their mother, deliciously portrayed by Emily Baker (Lorna), is a wurdulak. Ryan Foizey plays her son Alan, who becomes one himself when his mother turns him. He, in turn, infects his sister Elyse (Bridgette Bassa), who kills him with a broken wine bottle. Their seemingly oblivious father Ron (another fine David Wassillak performance), is really anything but, although he has no interest in continuing the bloodline. It's definitely played tongue-firmly-in-cheek, and though amusing, wasn't quite as successful in its overall execution.

Willie Johnson's BLUE BALLS closed the evening in peculiar fashion, with director Huber drawing nicely contrasting performances from Eric Dean White (Peter) and Ryan Foizey (Benoit). It depicts a man who is simply waiting for his date to finish getting ready while being confronted by her wheelchair bound son, whose temperament is volatile and unpredictable. Their interactions provide a high degree of uncomfortable humor that never flags. It's an unsettling and over the top staging that truly brings the work to vivid life.

Kudos to all of the many people who participated in these occasionally uneven, but always entertaining, works. It's always a pleasure to witness something fresh, and I applaud the efforts of all the actors and creative staff involved. Part two of the festival continues through July 31, 2016 at the Gaslight Theater.

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