BWW Special Feature: 99 and Under the Radar; The Indie Theatre Triple Threat

Last, but certainly not least is Jacob's House by August Schulenburg presented by Flux Theater Ensemble. The story of this show is one of the most fascinating. The team had been rehearsing for a show where they lost the rights, which is not uncommon in the Indie community. In Schulenburg's own words: "I decided to write a play based on a different old testament story- Jacob wrestling the Angel- for the cast we had and using the design concepts already in place for JB. If it worked, it would be like the magic trick where a sheet is pulled out from under the glasses, and nothing falls" Not only did it work, but it produced a piece of theatre worth talking about. What is probably most interesting about this script is how incredibly intelligent it is. It takes a bible story and turns it into an accessible tale of family and legacy. Beyond that Schulenburg writes the kind of dialogue one can see lasting through the ages. The text is so poetic, it deserves its own study with lines that describe someone's future as being a wine stain amongst many other visceral images. As with all Flux productions, the performers who bring this to life are also extraordinary. The show centers around three heirs to Jacob's home who all are arguing over who gets it. As they argue we are transported back and forth to moments in each of their lives as each new secret about the man they thought they knew is revealed. Jane Lincoln Taylor is unwavering as Dinah who is obsessed with finding a certain object in the house to the point where she will do anything to get it. Zack Calhoun is hilarious as the hapless Joe who keeps getting tagged in the face throughout the piece. He also has some really great moments later in the show as he finds out more about his parentage. Also fantastic is the incredibly versatile Bianca LaVerne Jones who effortlessly switches from young woman, to old woman, to young woman again. Indeed the entire cast works so well together that the show truly belongs to all of them, and given Flux's emphasis on ensemble work, this is definitely apt. Other standouts include: Isaiah Tanenbaum as the messenger and the lawyer (he is marvelously creepy and also incredibly funny), Matthew Archambault as the unwavering Jacob whose ferocity is only off set by his charm, and Jessica Angleskhan as Tamar who is a firecracker whenever on stage. The show is executed with such clearness and simplicity thanks to the direction of Kelly O' Donnell who does an amazing job of moving us in and out of the characters' memories. O'Donnell gets top notch performances out of her actors and handles the show with an amazing sensitivity that only a director who understands ensemble can achieve. Also, since this is a tiny space, you'll want to visit Jacob's House before it's too late. Tickets can be found here.

It is indeed incredibly rare when shows achieve this Triple Threat status, but it is also wonderful when it does. This week there are three out of three. Check em out.

Read more of Michael's insights at www.oneproducerinthecity.typepad.com.

 

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