Friday, April 10, 2009
Opening weekend for 3 theater productions (Apr. 10-12)
With the holiday weekend, now is perfect time to check out some new shows while you have the time:
- Sylvia, presented by Theatre Coppell. This Tony Award winning comedy is about a man and his dog . . . and his wife. Greg is going through a mid-life crisis: he and his wife Kate have moved to Manhattan after twenty-two years of child-raising in the suburbs. With his career winding down and his wife’s taking off, Greg finds some measure of fulfillment and companionship from a stray dog he brings home from the park. A street-smart mixture of Lab and Poodle, Sylvia becomes a constant companion of Greg and a major bone of contention between husband and wife until, after a series of hilarious and touching complications, Greg and Kate learn to compromise, and Sylvia becomes a valued part of the family. A hilarious commentary on mid-life angst and the role pets play in our lives. Purchase tickets ($12-14) online or by calling 972-745-7719.
- To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, presented by Mesquite Community Theatre. Ever since David's wife Gillian was killed on her birthday, he has been completely incapable of accepting her death. Each day, he still goes down to the beach to "talk" to her -- and keep her alive in his mind. This unwillingness to face reality has left his relationship with his teenage daughter Rachel seriously strained. But a family get-together to celebrate Gillian's birthday leads to confrontations between various relatives (including David and Rachel) that brings long-dormant emotions to the fore. As a result, father and daughter make peace with each other, and begin the long journey to accepting Gillian's death. Call 972-216-8126 for reservations ($8-10).
- True West, presented by Sundown Collaborative Theatre. True West is a comic nightmare of confrontation. The play is about two brothers: Austin is an ambitious Hollywood screenwriter working on a potential million-dollar deal when an ill wind off the desert blows in Lee, a hobo thief with a six-pack and a case of sibling rivalry. The conflict arises when a film producer offers Lee to write a "true" western. Tickets are $8-10.
