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Theatre Preview: Project: Turkey Day
Topics: theatre, the empty space, TES, Thanksgiving, plays, actors, Bakersfield, Operation Turkey Day
Posted by HelenRAcosta Mon Nov 3, 2008 15:35:18 PST
Viewed 453 times
0 responses 2 comments Location: 706 Oak Street, Bakersfield, CA 93304

Project: Turkey Day at Empty Space

Helen Acosta, Bakotopia.com contributor

"Call me a pussy till the day I die. Write it on my tombstone. I don't care. I am not putting that in my mouth!"-Justin in "Aunt Smitty Salad", Project: Turkey Day

Thanksgiving is the single day when most of us actually go out of our way to sit down and share a meal with the people we love.  Project: Turkey Day, opening at The Empty Space (TES) November 14, celebrates this holiday in all its silly, dysfunctional, messed up, yummy and loving glory.  

Project: Turkey Day follows the Empty Space tradition begun a few years ago with Project: Ghost.  The show's four writers - Helen Acosta, Enrique Acosta, Greg Goodsell and Lorenzo Dunning, built their pieces to follow a chronological story arc that begins with a panicked early morning call from a young soon-to-be-father to his mother in "Turkey Trauma Drama" and ends near midnight in "Black Friday" with a group of gamer geeks waiting in line for the newest video game.  The vignettes run the gambit from gross-out comedy to over-the-top melodrama to breath-taking tenderness.  Above all, the show highlights how much fun real families can be…especially when they do not fulfill the picket fence myth of family values.

As the director I have been blessed with a cast that leaves me in stitches every night we rehearse.  But, they aren't just funny—they bring depth and reality to the many characters they each play. 

The cast of 10 is a mix of well-known and new talent, many of whom have been seen recently at The Empty Space, among other local stages:

-Jared Cantrell, ("Rabbit Hole" and "Godmakers" at TES), returns to anchor the show in a search for a replacement turkey on the day he is supposed to host his first big holiday gathering. 

-Jose Hernandez, ("Godmakers"), is viciously funny as a crack fiend, stalker and alcoholic father.

-Lindsey Smith, ("BARE" at TES), is adorably funny as a sweet mom and heart wrenching as woman whose relationship is in reconciliation. 

-Desmond Blackstone and James Cutler ("Godmakers"), are wickedly funny as genetic geeks. 

-Julia Foreman, (BCT's One Act Festival), brings her grace to a choreographed piece and brings the voice of authority to her radio program personality.

-Deva Wiloth ("BARE"), shines as an evil three year old singing her own dirty little song at the end of a long, frustrating family day.

-Julianna Paz, ("Babies Having Babies" at TES), brings equal parts humor and kindness to her starlet in rehab and a butch girl dealing with her Catholic family's rejection of her sexuality.

-fRed, ("Godmakers" and backstage in her directorial debut of "Babies Having Babies"), is exuberant and lost as a young woman who is dealing with the first realization that "all that unconditional love crap they[her family] spouted" might not have been true.

-Enrique Acosta, last seen in "Babies Having Babies" as well as his world premiere production of “Godmakers” at TES, couldn't get away with just running the sound board.  One night in rehearsal he read the part of a sly, sweet talking con artist so well that I had to rope him in and push him out on stage as well!

 

Come see the show.  If you have as much fun as an audience member as we've had in rehearsals you'll leave with a tear in your eye and an ache in your side.

-Project: Turkey Day
-Show dates: November 14, 15, 24, 25 & 26 at 11pm and November 28 & 29 (LGBTQ fundraiser night) at 8pm.
-The Empty Space Theatre, 706 Oak St. (next to Pizzaville.) 327-PLAY.
-Suggested donation: $15 adults, $10 students.

 

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Comment From: matt

Holidays are so crazy. I can only imagine how funny this play will be.. Thanks for the preview! Comment From: THINK

this show is going to be awesome!!!! Juliana