Reviewed by Amalisha HuEck
Perfectly cast with strong performances, Clarkston is divinely enjoyable from the very start. Samuel D. Hunter (Playwright) included the original, never failing comedic moments as a woven tread throughout the play. Highly recommended! Intriguing and fun show to see. The feeling of being in a Costco store is achieved.
Starting his first night shift at Costco in Clarkston, Washington, Jake (Michael Sturgis) meets his co-worker/trainer Chris (Sean Luc Rogers), and the two of them strike a chord from the very start.
Some complications developed when Jake explains that he has a deadly illness-juvenile Huntington's disease, and most likely will not reach the age of thirty. He claims that he is a distant relative of explorer William Clark, the man for whom Clarkston got its name. We also witness that Chris has a challenging relationship with his mother Trisha (Tasha Ames), who has a concerning relationship with a meth addiction. Jake especially beautifully performs the comedic moments. This role is absolutely perfect for Sturgis. After a while, I found myself waiting for his comedic lines. As Chris is envisioning becoming a writer and leaving the Clarkston town one day, his other dream of seeing a Pacific Ocean and escaping his demanding mother, who is wearing him down with her emotional needs, becomes reality.
The stage is simple, only two filing stands are being displayed, one full of products that need to be placed on a display rack and on each side of the back wall we see the pieces of curtain hanging, which one of the characters pulls, one by one during the play, and eventually covers the wall. Since this is done in between the scenes, my assumption is that the pieces of curtain represent each day as it passes by.
The creative team for Clarkston includes Amanda Knehans (Scenic Designer), Matthew Richter (Lighting Designer), Alysha Grace Bermudez (Sound Designer), and Dianne K Graebner (Costume Designer).
The master carpenter is Bill Voorhess, and the production stage manager is Lisa Toudic. The show is Produced by Marie Bland with Natalya Nielson as the Associate Producer, and skillfully directed by Chris Fields.
Presented by Echo Theater Company, Clarkston runs at the Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. LA, 90039 through 10.21.2024. The shows are on Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 4 p.m., Mondays at 8 p.m. Monday night performances are Pay-What-You-Want. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are $34
The Echo Theater Company began in 1997 by founding Artistic Director Chris Fields and is known for producing and developing exciting new work. Under Fields leadership, the company has championed many world premieres and introduced numerous new playwrights. The Echo has won countless Los Angeles Drama Critics Awards. In April 2024, the Company was honored with three Awards including the prestigious Margaret Harford Award for Excellence in Theatre.
"Dedicated to nurturing writers and producing new work, the Echo, over its 27 years, has presented one hundred Los Angeles premiere productions. Of these, 81 were world premieres and of those, 52 were commissions."
For more info and to purchase tickets, call 747-350-8066 or go to www.EchoTheaterCompany.com