Thursday, Aug. 23, 2007
Directing a new, full-scale production is challenging enough, but directing the playwright is another situation entirely.
Fortunately for Jessica Lefkow, director of The New Play House’s upcoming ‘‘On Island,” working with playwright Jonah Sea Knight was relatively easy.
‘‘He’s a very gifted story teller ... and it’s good to work with Jonah because we can discuss the play while we’re working on it. He’s open to collaborations,” Lefkow said.
‘‘On Island” is a light romantic mystery set on Martha’s Vineyard and featuring two story lines. One surrounds a woman forced to choose between an available man she doesn’t want and an unavailable man she does. The other involves a town’s efforts to discover why their rate of cancer is higher than other areas.
A labor of love for the last three years, Knight began writing ‘‘On Island” in 2004, participating in various readings before the piece was finalized.
‘‘In theater, it takes a number of years from the first draft to the full production,” Knight said.
Opening Friday at the Cultural Arts Center, the play runs this weekend and next and features five veteran actors with New Play House, the troupe founded by Knight a few years ago.
New Play House holds script readings on alternate months. There, plays in development by regional authors can receive feedback from audiences and actors. Once scripts are reworked, the troupe then performs one or two original productions per year, said Knight.
A lifetime theater buff, Knight dabbled in script writing in college, but only began to take it seriously five years ago.
In a rare turn, the writer also acts in this latest creation. It’s a departure of sorts for Knight, who plays one of the main character’s love interests, described as a bartender and server who has missed important connections with people during his life.
‘‘Part of his journey is knowing when to finally step up and be assertive about what he wants,” Knight said.
Set in present day, the stage features an elaborate design of multiple locations that was complex to put together, Lefkow said.
Knight chose the setting of Martha’s Vineyard because he used to live there and found it to be a unique environment. ‘‘[It is] a small town that happens to have a huge tourist economy,” he said.
Following the show, Knight and Company will offer a ‘‘talkback” session, inviting audience members to stay and discuss the show with the cast.
Offered after all New Play House productions, ‘‘talkback” sessions have become quite popular with audiences.
‘‘The nice thing is even folks who go to the theater frequently and see a lot of plays don’t necessarily know a lot of details about how the play is produced and written,” Knight said.
Lefkow is looking forward to opening night when she will get to show off the award-winning playwright’s latest creation.
‘‘He has a special touch with dialogue and makes it both informative and entertaining,” she said.
She and Knight are both hoping to attract a large crowd.
‘‘This is a terrific way to end the summer with a polished piece of theater,” Lefkow said.
‘On Island’
When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 8 p.m. Aug. 31 and Sept. 1; 2 p.m. Sept. 1-2
Where: Cultural Arts Center, 15 W. Patrick St., Frederick
Tickets: $12, evening and $10, matinee. (Discounted prices available for seniors, students, and military with ID)
For information:301-668-8019
www.newplayhouse.org
