What: Part of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Surfacing is about surviving damage, whether inwardly or outwardly inflicted, and the connections made and broken on that journey. Marissa may have survived her suicide attempt, but with a metal rod holding her hip together and a sense of humor so dark she can't see a helping hand in front of her face, she's got a long road ahead of her before happiness is a possibility. When her sister, who's come to live with her through her recovery, convinces her to give Tinder a try, they both find some unexpected results.
And? Having worked with both playwright Mike Poblete and director Daniella Caggiano before, I was psyched to get to see their collaboration, and I was not disappointed. Poblete's writing is full of so many surprises, both hilarious and poignant (Marissa, a painter, talks about the pain of being able to see forever but not being able to be in it). Caggiano directs the performers with a sure but delicate hand, letting the quiet moments breathe, and not backing down from the intensity of confrontation. All four actors are wonderful, and the show is performed well within the limitations of a festival setting (I believe they had less than half an hour to transition from the show prior): I can only imagine how much richer this will be with full production.
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| Joey Donnelly, Suzannah Herschkowitz, Montana Lampert Hoover, and Jak Watson as Atticus, Marissa, Chelsea, and Jed. Photo by Mike Poblete. |
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