Robert Hall Explores Family Discord in True West

— by Margie Doyle —

Director Robert Hall is crafting a unique interpretation of the Sam Shepherd play, “True West” for Orcas audiences to enjoy the last two weekends of this month.

When original plans for a family-cast production fell through this spring, Hall was offered the chance to produce “True West,” which earned author Sam Shepherd a runner up award for the Pulitzer Prize in 1988. Hall had seen in the production at that time at the Magic Theater in San Francisco with screen actor Ed Harris as one of the two brothers whose rivalry takes place in the “True West,” wherever that is in contemporary America.

Among acting circles, roles in “True West” are highly coveted, says Hall. “It’s a very contemporary play, about the decline of heroes in our lives. While most Boomers can remember the classic Western movies and television shows such as “Searchers,” “Wagon Train,” “Bonanza” and “Rawhide,” we’ve experienced the loss of a frontier and traditional heroes along with the decline of the family, all those things that are really American because of our history as immigrants and in claiming Manifest Destiny.” The Last Frontier of mountains, deserts and wide-open spaces no longer exists for us, nor does it for the characters in “True West.”

Two brothers, played by Kelly Toombs and Kevin Doyle, reunite after five years, at their mother’s house in the desert. Kevin Doyle is a screenwriter, the responsible brother. Kelly Toombs is hanging on to the past; he lives in the desert, and struggles more than his sibling to jibe his current existence with the past.

Aaimee Johnson plays their mother, who has been in Alaska. Tom Fiscus plays Mysterious Man #1 and Steve Henigson plays Mysterious Man #2. Jim Shaffer-Bauck rounds out the cast.

The brothers are getting to know each other after a long absence, and both aretrying to get on with what they’ve become in life. The play is romantic, funny and dramatic, says Hall.

He is delighted that the production has “slowly morphed into something like I’ve never done. I didn’t expect it, but I really like what Kelly and Kevin have brought to it. Especially Kelly, to let him run with his character as a guy who doesn’t live with any boundaries.

“It’s the first time that I’ve directed a play that it’s changed so much [in the rehearsal process]” The play is a “real mix of genres and styles, there are some very funny parts” says Hall. “Sibling relations can be complicated; that’s what drew me to the play, besides the fact that Sam Shepherd is probably the most important modern American playwright.”

Also, music is big in Shepherd plays, “and that impressed me. The dialogue is so well-written that blocking becomes simple — and simplicity is the key,” says Hall.

He’s found challenges in mixing the drama with the humor and surrealistic elements of the play with realism.”There’s a blend of imagery, motifs and realism that Shepherd brings to his plays,” says Hall. His most recent production for Orcas Center, “The Miracle Worker” was more black-and-white, he says. “The challenge in ‘True West’ is the blend of metaphor, symbolism, and realism in the time frames of past, present, and future.

“There’s a blend of acting styles, it’s really such a rich challenge. The payoff is, the older I get, the more important working with people has become. I love the creative process. It’s even more rewarding with a smaller group, you can get a little deeper. The reward is becoming friends with the people I work with.”

He was surprised that Kelly and Kevin brought “completely different ideas when I began working with them. They have such charisma and are so hard-working. They have different acting backgrounds, came at it differently, but a whole different set of ideas came to me in working with them — and with Aaimee Johnson — it’s like blowing on embers. It elicited a whole different experience for me.”

The experience of directing “True West” has been different from his previous years in professional theater: “I understand what’s more important to me and the community. I’m thankful for the way “True West” has developed, it’s been a beautiful process for me. I’m very thankful to the actors.”

He expects audiences to be satisfied with the ending, which comes after quite a twist. And that’s all he’ll give away before the performances begin. The play runs for two weekends, with the final performance on Saturday, March 26.

Audiences can see “True West” starting Thursday, March 17 in the Black Box Theater at Orcas Center.Tickets for “True West” are $ 17, $13 students, $2 off for Orcas Center members and may be purchased on the website or by calling 376-2281 ext 1 or visiting the Orcas Center box office during box office hours which are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12- 2 pm. $5 Subsidized Tickets available at the Box Office.