Born In The U.S. Gaye
Posted by fringefamous on August 27th, 2008
In a season full of fantastically boring and dust covered shows, (BCT is doing Crazy For You. YAWN. Park Square will be doing A Midsummer Night’s Dream. What in Gaye Hell are they thinking?) Matthew Everett has written an original play (produced by After Dark Theatre Company) that has perked up the Gaye-dar of this Fairy Bored-Mother. Fresh from the same man that brought one of my Fringe Favorites, “The Bronze Bitch Flies at Noon”, and “Dog Tag” comes, Leave.
Here’s a synopsis:
Seth is a young Marine serving during wartime. Nicholas is his civilian longtime companion who waits back home. In addition to the strain on their relationship caused by distance and absence, they must hide their love for one another behind code words and secret identities because of the don’t ask, don’t tell policy barring gays and lesbians from serving openly in the United States military. Seth’s mother Anne assists them by providing the cover of a woman’s handwriting for Nicholas’ daily letters, but Nicholas and Seth’s resolve is starting to weaken. Jonas, another young gay Marine in Seth’s unit just coming to terms with his identity, forms an intense bond with Seth overseas. Tyson, a former Army soldier who got fed up with “don’t ask, don’t tell” and didn’t reenlist, now works alongside Nicholas, providing temptation as well as a reality check. When Seth returns home for an unexpected leave, with Jonas at his side, and post-traumatic stress following him from the battlefield, old relationships are tested, and new ones bloom. In the end, the realities of war call on one man to make the ultimate sacrifice.
I can’t tell you how excited I am to see this show. But I’ll try. I’m about as excited as a gay hooker during the Republican National Convention! Not only is Matthew Everett a fantastic writer, but he is taking the gay genre to a respectable level. The characters he writes aren’t gay clowns. They are real people. And it’s about damn time. With this new show, it seems Everett is raising his own bar…and my bar as well. He’s taking on the military. This show has the promise of good looking men, emotional insight, and provocation written all over it. Three things that can also describe my bedroom on Tuesday night. I am definitely going to see this show and you should too!
Thank you Matthew Everett, once again, for being totally Gaye…in a good way!
September 5th and 6th at 7pm at the Black Box Theatre in Morris, MN
or…
September 11th and 25th at 7pm at the Bryant Lake Bowl
August 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Allright, FringeFamous.com - Who the hell is Afterdark Theater Company? Their website yields no useful information except info for this show. I agree that Matthew is a great writer and a pretty stand up character himself. However, in an age of theater company saturation, help us out. Who is Afterdark Theater Company?
August 27th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Great question, Jeff. Perhaps Matthew will chime in and enlighten us…
Matthew?
Jay
August 27th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Good question.
AfterDark Theatre Company is indeed a brand new theater company. I don’t mean to speak for Justin Latt (the director and producer heading up the company and this production) and I’ll doublecheck with him on the details, but since you ask…
My understanding of the timeline is this - Justin used to be involved with the Flowershop Project. Justin approached me about the developing the script of “Leave” as his thesis project for his graduate degree in theater at U of M Morris (hence the first performances in Morris). The intention was always to start the production in Morris and then bring it to Minneapolis, likely as a production of the Flowershop Project. In the midst of the process, Justin and Flowershop went their separate ways.
Justin still had existing contacts at the Bryant Lake Bowl, so the Minneapolis performances still got on the calendar. But he didn’t want it to be “Justin Latt presents…” so he created AfterDark, with the thought that, beyond this project, his interest in working on new plays with local playwrights continues, and he hopes to do more.
AfterDark was created to give the production of “Leave” an umbrella under which to exist. What shelter it provides for other new plays going forward, that’s up to Justin, and where his directing career leads him from here. Every company has to begin somewhere. This one begins here. I’m flattered he wanted to use my script as part of the foundation to build something larger. As for the lack of details, well, the story’s just getting started…
Hope that helps.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:54 am
“BCT is doing Crazy For You. YAWN.”
Bitter, much?
August 29th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I don’t think the comment about BCT was bitter at all….just proving the point that many of the companies in the Cities play it safe most of the time…and anonymous, I’m pretty sure I know who you are. Beware of flying cereal.
Cpt. Breakfast
August 29th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Hello, Mr. Anonymous.
No. Although we tend to be bitter about a lot of stuff, the “yawn” comment was meant to illustrate how boring we think Crazy for You is. Nothing more.
This blog is chock full of opinion. 100% of it is ours. 0% of it is yours. If that makes life confusing for you, I’d suggest not reading.
Love always, Jay
August 29th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Thanks for the enlightenment! I only wish every new company came with a detailed explanation.
August 31st, 2008 at 6:35 pm
You know how I am Captain Breakfast? And how is that?
Trust me Jay, I know that this blog is 100% opinion…I’ve been reading it for several months now. I’m not an idiot, thanks.
October 9th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Dear Anonymous,
My you’re a feisty one. Funny enough, after reading your posts, it seems that you are actually the bitter one here. I do apologize that I’m not catering to your needs. What is it that you would like me to write about? Shall I write things that I don’t actually believe? Should I change my opinion so as not to upset your flow as you masterbate while reading this blog, hoping that maybe one day your name will be mentioned? Guess what, and this goes for everyone…if you don’t like the OPINIONS given here…you don’t have to read it. Go to another site where you can read all kinds of crap that gives you a theater boner. If you hate it so much, why do you continue to come back? And lastly….Anonymous….you write…”You know how I am Capatain Breakfast?” and, “I’m not an idiot, thanks”…. You know how I am? Did you mean to say you know WHO I am? Clearly…you ARE an idiot. But that’s just my humble Gaye opinion.