Fault Line - April Offering

Fault Line is back on line with four more one-acts.

Ted Falagan's The Failures brings a new feeling to audience participation. Falagan, who also directs and acts in it, has three scenes running in parallel. Each contains a common theme of failure and lack of understanding. Falagan is very perceptive about the human condition. One line caught my attention: "Nature calls, and I don't have call waiting." Every guys dreads the results when the gal in his life says, "We need to talk." The players are Quinne Anderson, Melynda Sue Frye, Armando Alacon, Ted Falagan, Kathy Cullen, Marissa Vaughan, and Joe Coldwell.

New to this reviewer are writers Jamillah Jackson and Marissa Vaughn and their new work, The Quest. The players are Nichole Quessenberry, Cari Kenny, Austen Chongpison, Melynda Sue Frye, Joe Caldwell, and Ana Susi. Joe Caldwell's Alex is totally convincing.

Writer, director, actor Ted Falagan returns with his Monsters Attack! Falagan must have had nightmares as a child, for he enjoys writing of monsters. His monsters are amusing to watch and never do exactly what is expected of them. Eric N. Gorman's Monster is scary in a most humorous way. Austen Chongpison's Count is your almost typical blood-sucking type. Marissa Vaughan's hunchback is amusing. Falagan mixes metaphors, genres, and lines from old Boris Karloff films and "Star Trek." Patrick Rardin plays a pompous Kirk Stone. Melynda Sue Frye is Maggie, who has an interesting transformation. Kathy Cullen is a delight as the ugly old hag.

The final production, Necessary Evil, by triple threat (writer, director, actress) Terie Trenchard is just plain fun. Angels Lucy (Trenchard) and Michael (Larry Glade) are charge with building the earth in six days. They don't the like name or the time schedule. She goes in to put God in his place and take over. Instead she's designed a parallel universe and acquired a new title of Satan. Trenchard appears to be no stage tyro, giving a strong performance. The writing is crisp.

It always a pleasure to go to this tiny theater. Invariably, a new talent appears that will soon be making the rounds of the larger theaters in our community.