Presented by the Focal Point Theatre Company at the Think Tank (off Ravenswood in Lakeview), this is a collection of six scenes from contemporary plays: Glengarry, Glen Ross; Our Town; The Four Yorkshiremen; The Importance of Being Earnest; The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe; and Steel Magnolias.
The program flyer from Melissa Albertario (Artistic Director) notes in part that the purpose of the evening was "to give our group of extraordinarily talented friends, peers and collaborators and opportunity to limber up and challenge themselves." The theme, beyond the largely comic selection of themes, is "to discard ... preconceptions about casting according to age, gender, race and experience."
This is 75 minutes of high energy, extreme talent and just plain fun. The settings could only be more minimalistic if they did away with the four chairs and table; even the costumes are all Basic Black. All of which allows this very talented collection of artists to show their considerable chops. While all the performances are well done, the closing scene from Steel Magnolias brought the house down - deservedly.
Go see this performance. Or, if you can't, be sure to follow the careers of all of those involved - this is a real treat for any lover of theatre! To wit, their first full-length production is this coming Spring - but I don't want to wait until then to see these folks in action!
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