BWW Reviews: Labute New Theater Festival at the St. Louis Actors' Studio

The St. Louis Actors' Studio is presenting the first part of their annual Labute New Theater Festival, where a group of one act plays are chosen from a group of submissions, and includes a new work by Neil Labute himself. I wish I could say they were all exciting pieces, and maybe the second part will showcase some real gems, but the first group is definitely a mixed bag. But despite this, I think it's an important festival our town should be very proud to be hosting. And, I think there are moments that definitely make this worthy of your time and attention, particularly if you like seeing fresh new plays.

The best of the lot is Labute's own Kandahar, and it will be performed during both parts. It's an effective one man piece that, like a lot of the playwright's work, packs a emotional punch. John Pierson directs Michael Hogan who plays a soldier who's being interrogated for an act he's committed. Of course, the problem with giving too many details is that it spoils the experience, so I'm going to purposely be a bit vague about the actual content so that that doesn't occur. I will say that Hogan delivers a mesmerizing performance under Pierson's watch.

Next up is an intriguing play called Custom by Mark Young. Here we find a young man named Robert, who seeks out a jeweler to sell some of his mother's pieces. He meets a man who makes specializes in custom designs. Since these are not adornments that have been specifically made just for her, the jeweler has little interest in them. But, there's a bond between them that takes the story in a different direction. Nathan Bush is good as Robert, and GP Hunsaker does fine work as the craftsman who creates his own original and personalized items. Christopher Limber directs with a sure hand.

A Taste of Heaven by Chris Holbrook follows, and I found this to be the least successful one act. A woman played by Nancy Crouse enters an office because her retirement benefits have suddenly been cut off because the government considers her dead. Kevin Minor takes on the role of the man behind the desk who attempts to assist her with her problem. Rhyan Robinson also appears. B. Weller's direction is just a bit off here, and the payoff too obvious for this one to succeed.

After an intermission we're presented with Steve Apostolina's Cold in Hand. A young man named Luke is playing the blues on a street corner in order to earn enough cash to travel to Mississippi when he's confronted by a blind African American man named Razz who questions his right to sing the blues. But, after hearing the lad's story, a friendship develops. Rynier Gaffney convinces as Luke, and Don McClendon is sharp as Razz. Christopher Limber's direction is well done, but the story itself is kind of slight in nature.

Lexi Wolfe's Stand Up for Oneself comes after, and is nicely directed by John Pierson. It concerns an older man named Lucas who is flirted with by a younger girl named Lila at a party. There are some interesting revelations, and Nathan Bush and Alicia Smith pull off some good performances, but it just didn't retain my attention as much as I would have liked it to.

The final work for this first part of the festival is Rich Orloff's A Stranger Here Myself. Pierson again directs, and though it starts off a bit too precious for my tastes, it does feature some amusing moments that make it a nice addition to the collection. Jenny Smith is Patricia, who is attempting to get a good night's sleep before making an important presentation the next day. When ambien and alcohol fail to produce the desired results, she resorts to pleasuring herself in order to wind down. That's when her masturbatory fantasy comes to life. She's suddenly joined by Paul Cereghino as Shane, an actor who takes on the role of the object of her affections. But, then the room becomes crowded by the arrival of her ex-husband Bruce (Don McClendon), and her horny neighbor Chelsea (Stephanie Benware).

The various plays and direction are uneven in tone, but are supported by a smartly conceived scenic design by Patrick Huber, who also provides the lighting along with Dalton Robinson. Carla Landis Evans contributes effective props and costumes that fit the variety of characters presented in nice fashion.

Although I have some reservations about a few of the new works, I think it's important to support festivals such as these, because they give playwrights a platform, as well as feedback, for their achievements. I look forward to seeing what the next group brings to the table, and I do recommend attending this show, if only to catch Labute's powerful opener. Part one continues through July 19, 2015 at the Gaslight Theater, and part two runs from July 24 through August 2, 2015.

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