The Catskill Chronicle

Review by Stephen Lavelle, photos by www.paulcowell.com

ELLENVILLE, NY – Poignant exchanges with an idol, metaphorical drama exploring the human condition, and the delivery of the truth from an endearing actor. All that and more is available at Shadowland Theatre’s production of Guest Artist.

Shadowland‘s Set Designer, Drew Francis fully establishes the believable setting and atmosphere that befits serious theatre. Guest Artist takes place at a Steubenville, Ohio bus station in the early morning hours. Dirty floors and walls, scattered trash and vintage furniture give the set a suitably dark and dingy feeling.

Director James Glossman navigates this three-person serious comedy – a delightful oxymoron – primarily through the verbal sparring between novice playwright Kenneth Waters – played by Anthony Blaha – and his idol, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Joseph Harris – played by acclaimed actor, John Astin.

Waters is waiting at the bus station to pick up Harris, and quickly discovers Harris already there, sleeping on a bench. With succinct banter, young Waters finds Harris to be not only an aging alcoholic, but also a playwright who has been experiencing, shall we say, a 10-year dry spell. Nevertheless, Harris continually espouses his numbered writing rules, peaking in the astronomical five hundreds.

Waters and Harris fence back and forth superbly. Harris simply wants a drink and a bus ticket back home, while Waters wants – and bargains with – Harris to read and truthfully critique his first play.

The truth, Waters finds, is doled out as both parties stumble on his own profound self-discovery.

Complementing this cast is the man in the ticket booth – the ticket man – played by Ray Faiola. His comic and creative use of the PA system combines with excellent timing and philosophical sarcasm in a stubborn and perfect performance.

Anyone expecting hints of the iconic Gomez Addams from John Astin may be surprised to see there is little. Astin capably delivers a strong, emotional performance, proclaiming the anthem, “I am an artist and this is my art.” Later, he brings himself (and us) to tears as he surrenders the truth to young Waters with “truth … a feeling more than we want to feel,” and “I want to feel everything.”

Blaha meanwhile is alternately awkward, shy, star-struck, nervous, angry, fed up and sympathetic. An actor of many credits himself, he is the perfect foil for Astin’s Harris.

Guest Artist playwright Jeff Daniels is the founder of the Michigan-based Purple Rose Theatre Company, where he has debuted 12 new plays. He examines, through his writing of Guest Artist, the familiar obligation artists have – giving art its justice and discovering faith in the process. “You have to find yourself … yourself.” And that is done by traveling to a place “you don’t go to unless you have to. … A place called human … a place to remember together … forever.”

It is all the more poignant when you find out that Guest Artist is semi-autobiographical. Daniels knows whereof he speaks. And this is a performance you do not want to miss.

Guest Artist will be featured at Shadowland Theatre now through July 18, 2010 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $28 Thursday through Saturday, and $24 on Sunday. A Senior/Student discount of $2 is available. Call the Shadowland Theatre box office at 845-647-5511 or visit them at www.shadowlandtheatre.org.