Readers' Theatre was an entertaining experience

By Devon Vose Rickabaugh

Last Monday at the Shoreline Lake Forest Park Arts Council's Readers’ Theater was an entertaining experience, watching seven actors playing gay men argue and act out their relationships sitting in a circle reading the play “Sometimes Love” by Zheng Wang. The Playwright was in the audience to watch and discuss the play afterward.

At first it wasn’t clear to me that the two main couples were different sides of each other: Cody 1 with Dave 1 and Cody 2 with Dave 2. Apparently in a previous version the couples had dressed and looked the same. I think this would have avoided confusion and I would have gotten the play’s intent sooner.

Overall, the interactions between all the players were skillfully handled and even though they were playing gay couples their situations could apply to most any couple. For instance, Cody worked in a costume store and was being yelled at by a customer when Dave came in and couldn’t stand to see Cody not fighting back so he took over and blasted the customer who complained to the manager and Cody was fired.

It was a treat to discuss the play with playwright Zheng Wang, who is also an award-winning, independent filmmaker and creator and director of a dance show called ”Dare to Dance”. Zhang was interested in how realistic the audience found the relationships to be and which were the strongest scenes.

Director of Shoreline LFP Reader’s Theater Dominica Myers casts and directs all the readings. Ms. Myers has won awards for her Playwriting and was nominated as part of best Ensemble Cast for the NAACP Theatre Award. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts Performance from Central Washington University. She has moved back to the Seattle area from Los Angeles to raise her child. She currently teaches playwriting and acting at Cascade K-8 Community School and will be teaching Creative Acting and Dramatics at Spartan Recreation Center for 8-12 year olds this summer. She offers ongoing individual audition coaching for children and adults.

The last performance in the 2013 Readers’ Theater will be “Roses in the Water” by award-winning playwright La’Chris Jordan.  

“It is the spring of 2000, and life in the New Orleans Desire Housing Projects isn't easy for Clarice. The dead-end job, the drive-by shootings, and the constant struggle to pay the rent have all taken their toll on her and she wants out. With no other viable options, Clarice enlists in the U.S. Navy despite her mothers objections. But will life in the military be any safer than life in the projects? A challenging and timely drama with sharp humor, “Roses in the Water” touches on the tough choices we are sometimes forced to make.” 

The performance will be on Monday April 22nd at 7pm, Shoreline Center Ballinger Room.