Center Stage: ‘Damascus’ is a high-tension, 90-minute non-stop ride
Now hear this! The Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers is alive and well thanks to its board of directors naming Greg Longenhagen as the new artistic director and promoting Jason Parrish to associate artistic director.
Longenhagen is a consummate professional, celebrating his 21st season with the theater. He has worked on 59 productions as an actor, director, fight choreographer and dialect coach. Furthermore, Longenhagen believes and will continue to embrace the theater’s mission and tradition of excellence in entertainment by enlightening and entertaining audiences, in addition to advancing the theater’s educational programs for the youth of our community.
Parrish’s promotion follows 14 years of experience, working in many capacities including acting as interim artistic director this past summer. He also has had over 30 acting appearances, oversaw the Play LabFestival of New Works and directed numerous plays – to which I can only add that the Florida Repertory Theatre is in safe hands with “all stars.”
New topic, “Damascus” currently playing at the theater is a new play by Bennett Fisher. A psychological thriller that was chosen from the theater’s popular PlayLab Festival in 2017, it is now making its southeastern United States premiere.
“Damascus” stars Darian Dauchan as Hassan; Jeremiah Clapp as Lloyd; Laura Shatkus in multiple roles, including Davis, Maynard, Conklen and Whitaker – all these talented actors making auspicious debuts. Ensemble acting member V. Craig Heidenreich expertly directed this taut and suspenseful dark thriller, which is playing on the ArtStage Studio Theatre until Dec. 9.
All I can add is the old Bette Davis’ line, “Fasten your seat belts, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.” Fisher’s tight scripted thriller is a version of “Hellcab,” where the two main characters remain locked together in a skeletal stripped-down version of a taxi cab for most of the whole 90-minute play.
The journey follows Hassan, a financially struggling Somali-American taxi driver at the Minneapolis Airport. A desperate and young, flight-cancelled student Lloyd bangs on the taxi window, demanding and waking the sleeping Hassan “to drive me to O’Hare Airport in Chicago – a six-hour journey – so he can catch a flight to California to visit his dying mother. Hassan reluctantly agrees, demanding double the $300 fare.
As the trip progresses, we get clues there is more to both men’s stories. Hassan is struggling to make money, sleeping in his cab to pay for gas and the taxi’s lease and license. Also, he will be in violation of interstate driving rules for which he could lose his license, as well as his livelihood. Lloyd’s story too has a much darker side – something other than clothes is in his baggage. But avoiding a spoiler, ’nuff said.
One more thing, Hassan becomes a captive to Lloyd though at times the roles reverse. The shifting of roles is well crafted as the two get on each other’s nerves during the long drive. Although the two men are the tour de force roles in “Damascus,” they run into various characters along the journey – these are mostly hard-bitten, cold-weather female types think Fargo N. Dakota – all artfully portrayed by Shatkus. Nevertheless, it is the male roles Hassan and Lloyd on the road to disaster that grabs us.
Since the set is a stripped-down taxi, we see our actors through a windshield, keeping us focused on their facial expressions, which carry most of the emotional weight of this tense drama. Clapp keeps us attuned and tense with his highly emotive expression. Dauchan holds us captive with his far less sympathetic character. This in two words is fine acting! The fine direction by Heidenreich is also spellbinding.
My suggestion is if you are up to experiencing a high-tension journey, a 90-minute non-stop ride in the theater, then get your ticket to ride by phoning the Box Office at 239-332-4488. And when you phone, remind ’em Marsha sent you.
Next on the main stage will be another world premiere adaptation of “A Christmas Carol: The Tale of Ebenezer Scrooge” by Charles Dickens, as retold by Mark Shanahan. It is not the sugar-and-spice version, but a spookier retelling with live actors and musicians on stage. The fun will begin on Nov. 27 and run through Dec 19. Be there or be square, and bring the kiddies.