The ever-prolific Art Shulman is back at his old haunt, the Two Roads, with a beautiful remembrance of 9/11 that, paradoxically, begins the day before, with a domestic beef between Dan (Skel Osmani), and his wife, Jodi (Tammy Mora). Their ups and downs are dwarfed by the events of 9/11 that keep intruding into their space through the ever-present television, much the same as most of us experienced it on that fateful day in 2001.
Playwright Shulman has assembled a series of touching monologues of the workers, victims, and relatives of those who were affected by the collapse of the twin towers as well as the crash landings of planes into the Pentagon and onto a Pennsylvania pasture, respectively. While the domestic tribulations of Dan and Jodi provide a through-line for the play, it is the power of the varying eye-witness accounts that build the emotional power of the piece.
Director Stan Mazin made the Two Roads tiny stage work double-time to accommodate both onstage and simulated accounts. Off to one side, the newscaster (Michael Berckhart) holds the broadcast together, while lighting designer Devin Harris provides the pin-point for each interviewee and Greg Segal’s incidental music provides the punctuation.
Ezra Black is notable for his depictions of a displaced student, as well as a young tagger; while Andrew Edmondson scores as a firefighter in one segment, and an interviewer in another. Among the versatile cast, Lillian McWhirter is a churchgoer and evangelist with lots to say about the incident, and Morry Shorr makes for a quirky newscaster. Genny Wilson and Jane Bonem notably add their characterizations, as well.
Note to prospective producers: this piece emerges as a loving remembrance of a moment in our history that we have yet to come to terms with. It is a perfect script for the small screen.
Sept 10 continues at Two Roads Theatre, 4348 Tujunga Ave., Studio City, California 91602, through October 4th, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm; Sunday at 3 pm. General admission, $30; Seniors, $25 (promo code 007), and Students, $10.00 (promo code 220), or groups of 8 or more: $22.00 (promo code 080). Buy tickets at http://onstage411.com/sept10, or at the door.
