Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "cole alexander smith"

Sam Shepard's "True West" Capital Stage

2012-03-28T02:55:35Z

Capital Stage continues to turn up the heat with its latest production, “True West,” one of actor/playwright Sam Shepard’s best known and most popular works.

On the surface Shepard’s story is a pretty simple and straightforward one. The story is set in an older home in a Southern California suburb 40 miles east of Los Angles. Think Rancho Cucamonga, Lancaster or even Riverside County. Mom is off to Alaska and has asked dutiful son Austin to house sit the modest childhood home he grew up in, primarily to keep her beloved plants alive. In walks bad brother Lee, who stirs things up only as a Sam Shepard bad boy character can.

Shepard is very much an actor’s playwright and Capital Stage is very much an actor’s theater company. This combination works so great here. The four-person cast takes Shepard’s work and really runs with it.

The production is led by, not in order of appearance, Cap Stage actor/co-founder/producing director Jonathan Rhys Williams as the highly volatile Lee. Lee is nothing but trouble, a drunkard who makes his living stealing from the very neighborhoods around them. He has a criminal record and has spent some sort of self-imposed exile in the Mohave Desert. Lee also seems to have a strong opinion, as does Austin, regarding “the old man.” Lee is a character that, at least at the beginning, has a swagger and strong male sexy-aggression.

Williams does an amazing job portraying Lee, bringing out his playful, nasty behavior along with how incredibly funny, sad and pathetic he is.

Cole Alexander Smith was last seen at Capital Stage in “reasons to be pretty” as Greg, opposite Stephanie Altholz as Steph, the verbally and physically abusive girlfriend. Austin is now dealing with a verbally and physically abusive brother. Smith is good at bringing out the humor in Austin’s situation. He gets to shine when Lee’s scheming causes a crisis and a role reversal.

The catalyst of the crisis is Saul Kimmer, who comes into Lee’s orbit when Lee returns home early from stealing a neighbor’s color TV while Austin is holding a meeting with Saul over signing a deal on an important film project. Erik Baldwin is quite funny to watch as Saul the so SoCal entertainment industry guy, down to his white shoes, that realizes that he has been cornered by Lee and works to extract himself from the situation as quickly as possible.

There isn’t much influence from women here. Austin has a vaguely drawn wife and children living somewhere “up north.” Mom does eventually return from her Alaskan cruise and disappointing adventure. She found Alaska too cold but she finds the climate at home to be a little too hot and after an astonished and resigned look around, leaves for a local motel.

It is a small role for Capital Stage associate artist Janis Stevens after such roles as Maria Callas in “Master Class,” yet she gives a knowing humor to the woman that has resigned herself to the fact that all the men in her life have become nothing but disappointments.

The set design, also by Williams, is a single set, a long narrow kitchen with a short hallway and a small patio covered in fake grass. It is a great retro design that keeps the time period of the play vague. Heaven knows “the old man” drank up any money for remodeling the kitchen.

Props also play an important role in the production. A lot of prop alcohol is consumed in this production. Let’s say the stage hands have a lot of work to do cleaning up alone.

The first note in the script to the play is in regard to the sound. The audience gets to listen along with Austin and Lee to the unending rise and fall of the sound of the crickets that drive Lee so nuts. Then there are the dogs barking, and even louder, the growing packs of coyotes that are in a frenzy over luring the suburban pets to kill and devour. Don’t worry, there are no suburban pets harmed in this production. Can’t say the same for the typewriter that is destroyed every performance only to be assembled again.

Lighting designer extraordinaire Ron Madonia’s lighting allows for the split second endings to scenes while also adding to the humor of opening a scene with nothing but the refrigerator light bulb. The lights then come up with the sound of a beer can opening.

Other than the over-the-top outfit for Saul Kimmer character, Lalena Hutton’s costume designs are pretty timeless and in Lee’s case, not much for shirts. She does manage to help create a very sexy Lee at times, no matter how scruffy.

Stephanie Gularte, Cap Stage actor, founder, artistic director and director directs. She keeps the action tight. With the audience closely bordering the stage on three sides and the long kitchen and patio on the other, she has a tight space to work with. The somewhat claustrophobic feeling creates an environment where the brothers are forced together in this pressure cooker situation. None of Shepard’s characters leave the small space without leaving the house. While Austin tries to get Lee to go to another room, the action never leaves the kitchen and patio.

Let me emphasize that with all this black humor there are lots of laughs throughout the play. Opening night’s audience had a big response to the humor, surprise, shock and the performances.

Hot playwright: Sam Shepard; hot play: “True West.” A hot Capital Stage performance and production and hot ticket.

“True West” by Sam Shepard Capital Stage
Cast: Cole Alexander Smith, Jonathan Rhys Williams, Eric Baldwin, Janis Stevens
March 21- April 22 More Information andTickets

Capital Stage to open Sam Shepard's 'True West' March 24

2012-03-21T20:47:54Z

photographs by Barry Wisdom |

Capital Stage continues its inaugural season at its new J Street home with Sam Shepard's iconic 1980 work "True West," opening March 24, 2012, for a four-week run. Discounted previews are set for March 21-23.

Originally produced by San Francisco's Magic Circle Theate in 1980 during Shepard's tenure as the company's resident playwright, "True West" is a character study exploring the relationship between the Ivy League-educated Austin, a screenwriter, and his older brother Lee, a shiftless, beer-swilling ne'er-do-well. Set in the suburban Southern California home of their mother, for whom Austin is house-sitting, their life-long conflict comes to a head when con-man/thief Lee pushes his way into a picture deal that Austin is pitching to a high-placed Hollywood producer.

"I wanted to write a play about double nature, one that wouldn't be symbolic or metaphorical or any of that stuff," said Shepard. "I just wanted to give a taste of what it feels like to be two-sided. It's a real thing, double nature. I think we're split in a much more devastating way than psychology can ever reveal. It's not so cute. Not some little thing we can get over. It's something we've got to live with."

Called Shepard's signature work, "True West" has enjoyed several high-profile productions, including an infamous New York mounting by Joe Papp's Public Theater starring Tommy Lee Jones (Austin) and Peter Boyle (Lee) in December 1980.

Two years later, Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company staged a revival featuring then-unknown actors Gary Sinise and John Malkovich. That production was transferred to New York's Cherry Lane Theatre where it ran for 762 performances. A filmed version of this production debuted on the PBS "American Playhouse" series in 1984.

In 2000, a Broadway revival of "True West," featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman (now garnering kudos as Willy Loman in Broadway's latest incarnation of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman") and John C. Reilly, opened at the Circle on the Square Theatre. The show earned Tony noms for best actor (both Hoffman and Reilly), best director and best play.

The Capital Stage production features company co-founder Jonathan Rhys Williams as Lee, and Cole Alexander Smith as Austin, along with Eric Baldwin and Capital Stage Associate Artist Janis Stevens. Capital Stage Artistic Director and Co-Founder Stephanie Gularte directs.

JUST THE FACTS

WHAT: The Capital Stage production of Sam Shepard's "True West"

WHERE: Capital Stage, 2215 J St., Sacramento, Calif.

WHEN: Previews 7 p.m. March 21, 8 p.m. March 22 and 23 ($18); opens 8 p.m. March 24 ($38); continues through April 22 with performances at 7 p.m. Wednesdays ($20), 8 p.m. Thursdays ($28), Fridays ($28) and Saturdays ($32), 2 p.m. Sundays ($28)

WHO: Featuring Cole Alexander Smith (Austin), Jonathan Rhys Williams (Lee), Eric Baldwin (Saul Kimmer), Janis Stevens (Mom); directed by Stephanie Gularte

MORE INFO: (916) 995-5464; www.capstage.org

Capital Stage Takes a Close Look at "reasons to be pretty"

2011-02-11T23:36:57Z

"reasons to be pretty" at Capital Stage is the third in a trilogy of
plays by provocative contemporary American playwright, screenwriter and
director Neil LaBute. Capital Stage previously staged "The Shape of
Things" (2006) and "Fat Pig" (2007). These three plays are LaBute's
examination of the modern day obsession with physical beauty.

The play opens with a bang. As LaBute describes the scene in his
script: "Lights burst on. At home. Two people in their bedroom, already
in the middle of it. A nice little fight. Wham!"

We don't know what Greg said. Greg doesn't seem to know what he said.
Steph seems quite clear what Greg said -or at least what her best friend
Carly couldn't wait to tell her Greg said about her. What ever Greg
said it is enough for Steph to walk out on their four year relationship.

Cole Alexander Smith portrays Greg. Smith is a regular on Northern
California stages. He has the everyman, average Joe look that is perfect
for the role of Greg. The audience can't help but feel a little sorry
for Greg as he learns several life lessons through the course of the
play. Smith's portrayal of Greg is spot on.

Cole Alexander Smith as Greg, Stephanie Altholz as Steph

Stephanie Altholz, another regular on Sacramento stages, is Steph - the
very angry and upset girlfriend. Altholz takes a role that could be
shrill and unsympathetic and allows the audience to see Steph's humanity
and where this anger is coming from.

It is fascinating to see Altholz who's last role was the first grader
May in "Junie B. Jones, Jingle Bells Batman Smells" at the B Street
Theatre Family Series create such a strong adult character. There is,
though, some six year old behavior in all four characters here!

Debuting at Capital Stage are Chad Deverman as Greg's best friend Kent
and Allison F. Rich as Steph's best friend Carly. Greg, Kent and Carly
are also co-workers on the night shift at a packaging and distribution
plant.

Chad Deverman as Kent, Allison F. Rich as Carly

Deverman's Kent is the guy the audience loves to hate. Kent learned
early on that he can bully his way through life. That is except with
his wife. With Carly, Kent turns on the charm and can lie so sweetly.
Deverman balances his performance to create a Kent that is nasty enough
to hate but not so over the top to be unbelievable.

The role of Carly could also be one dimensional - the trouble making,
tough woman. She works security at the plant. Rich allows Carly's
vulnerability and empathy to come through. She also embibes Carly with
believable emotional growth.

Capital Stage co-founder and producing director Jonathan Williams puts
on his set designer hat here. He has created an eye popping pop art set
that is also versatile. It becomes a bedroom, workplace break room,
restaurant lobby and a ball field. And part of the fun of the play is
watching the set morph into each setting, some more than once.

Lighting by Ron Madonia, Costumes by Rebecca Redmond, Brad Thompson's
sound design and even Michael Coleman's props add to the fun and
believability of the play.

Capital Stage associate artist and frequent director Janis Stevens
direction keeps the action moving along. She creates an urgency of how
will all the effects of all these emotional entanglements resolve
themselves. Stevens brings out the humor in all of this.

Neil LaBute asks an important question in "reasons to be pretty." The
Capital Stage cast and production staff create a "reasons to be pretty"
that is accessible and even enjoyable while remaining thought provoking.