A comment on the short form: A 10- to 15-minute play usually runs 10 to 15 pages with hundreds of words of description, stage direction, and dialogue. Unlike a full-length play, with 6-to-10 time the words and playing time, the short form must interest the audience, delineate each character, and have a beginning, middle, and end in a very, very short time.
The second week of the seventh annual North Park Playwright Festival includes seven plays of varying quality, but all with some interesting twists on life. Since most playwrights shy away from the discipline necessary to develop a really good short play, I compliment while I criticize the playwrights for their daring to attempt to bring their audiences complete short plays. Here's a quick take on the offering:
San Diego playwright John Molina's aptly named Judge Kafka explores the warped world of one John Jones (Daniel Gapp), the accused. Sadistic bailiffs (Summer Golden and Justin Filey) are much too enthusiastic about the discipline of their charge. The Prosecutor General (Sandra Shearer) can best be described as sick. The Judge (Chuck Hart) is an omnipresent voice of unreason. Directed by Thalia Carini.
Director Susana Moore selected Olathe, Kansas playwright Blaise Miller's Suburban Weekday Night. Kerry (Lynae DePriest) is driving Jerry and Jackson (Brian Burke and Taylor Hay) when they are stopped a police officer (David Brubaker) in a frenetic piece loaded with good humor.
John Fojtik and James Cota, as Thornwell and Igor, star in The Thinker by Los Angeles playwright Michael Sadler. Director David Slattery paces the action quite well. It's about a simple cup of water before Thornwell can take on the traditional pose of The Thinker.
Heide Arbitter of New York City has a wonderful skill with quick character development and well-constructed dialogue in her My Appointment is Next. Johnathan Sturch's selection of Derek Lorenzen and Robin Dye as psychiatric patients Joe Peep and Polly Peck works well. They play off each- other perfectly. Are you sure you want to be in a shrink's waiting room with another patient?
Dora Dugan (Terry Ghianni), whom we hear only, is the proprietor of Dora's Dynamic Dates penned by Marjorie Bicknell of Camp Hill, Pa. Director Lois Gail cast James Cote and Debbie Britt-Hay as two customers who have zero in common. Even with interjections by Dora, there's little these two even have to talk about. But anyone can be fooled, can't they?
Why can husbands be so unobservant? Demetra Kareman of Brooklyn, NY explores the lives of Frank (Daniel Gapp) and Carol (Robin Fraser). Raising a daughter is not easy. However, it would be a bit easier if a husband at least understood that their daughter was left handed. I wish director Charles Peters had instructed his cast to project to the back wall of this small theater.
The final play of the evening is by Ramona's Debbie Britt-Hay under Cari Kenny's able direction. In Angel on My Shoulder, Clara (Mary Cherwink) is quietly sitting on a bench waiting for her bus and attempting to read when she is accosted by a very verbal Lexi (Taylor Hay). Lexi has a story to tell and nothing will stop her. It is a very personal story of a 10-year-old-girl struggling with cancer. Lexi captivates Clara. I wish this was pure fiction; alas, it is a biography of the young actress.
Seven plays in 90 minutes. Some good, some fair. While there is no common thread, each captures you for just a few minutes and leaves you something to remember. There is a range of emotions from humor (Suburban Weekday Night) to poignancy (Angel On My Shoulder.). And this is the pleasure of an evening of one-act plays.
