9/11's effect on LA stages

What do a Patriotic Stripper, a Famous Sock Puppet and a Cow have in common?

Back of the Throat. Recent Tragic Events. The God of Hell.

Pasadena. North Hollywood. West Los Angeles.

Listen here to a combo review of The God of Hell and our production of Back of the Throat on KCRW's Theatre Talk with James Taylor.

Go to LA Weekly and read the back to back theatre features on these three productions by Steven Mikulan.

Why is it that all three of these plays opened within 2 weeks of each other with Los Angeles Premieres in the summer of 2006? I don't have the answer... just the question.

Regardless of the different story lines and different years that they were written, they are all three about the same thing. How our world was forever changed by the attacks of 9/11 and how individual people's lives have been changed because of it.

Interestingly enough, two plays are set in the northern midwest. Sam Shepard placing his story in rural Wisconsin and Craig Wright (as he tends to do) sets his story in Minnesota. Two are about intrusive investigations. All three are about normal people in abnormal situations. All three are dark comedies. No doubt the subject matter is a dark one, and how better to try and deal with where we're all at right now than by trying to find the humor in all of it... which ultimately leads us to both the absurdity of it all and the inescapable fear too.

With all the similarities between these plays and their themes and characters, despite some very different approaches, styles and situations... the critic's can't help but lump them all together too.

Some of the company has been out to the Geffen to see The God of Hell and we are working on a date to get over to North Hollywood and see RTE as well. Don't forget, we're doing Craig Wright's newest play this fall... GRACE.

Go see a play or two. or three.

Be Furious.