On Monday, April 4th, Bristol-Riverside Theatre will present a reading of my play “The Festial Quartet – a play for Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass” as part of their annual America Rising series. It’s an unusual play for me. Usually, I write dark farces with absurdist overtones, accidental deaths and hot pepper cheese cubes. “Festial Quartet” is a small play that started out as an autobiographical piece – an expansion of a story I tell in my solo show “Panther Hollow.” Most of the autobiographical aspects of the story have given way to fiction, at this point, but I still look at the cast in rehearsal and occasionally hear the voices of my high school friends. It is simultaneously weird and invigorating. It also means that I really have no idea how the piece will be perceived. I like it very much. But the personal nature of it makes it difficult to pin down. Please come! I’d love to know what you think.
A brief synopsis – “Eighteen year old Amy was the best piano player at Festial High School. After her tragic death, her four best friends – the Festial Quartet – join their Christian youth leader, Tom, to prepare for her memorial. When Amy’s grieving mother asks Tom to save the Festial Quartet’s souls, their fragile psyches begin to crack, forcing one of them to reveal a secret she’s been harboring for two years – a secret that will change everyone’s perception of adolescence, adulthood, friendship and religion.”
The reading will be in the rehearsal hall at BRT on Monday night at 6:00. Get there by 5:00 if you want dinner. BRT has presented some very cool pieces in this series and I’m very pleased to be a part of it. The reading is directed by the terrific Nick Anselmo and performed by six actors that I’m very lucky to have – Jacob Merinar, Carl Roa, Laura Allan, Maria Konstantinidis, Janet Quartarone and Adam Rzepka. For more info, go here – http://www.brtstage.org/america-rising/festial-quartet/
David Lee White 