The Seahawk

Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: http://www.myspace.com/guerillatheatre

Guerilla Theatre, a group of local performance artists, gave its final performance of "Suburbia" at The Brown Coat Pub and Theatre's intimate stage Saturday night. The play, written by local playwright Eric Bogosian and directed by pub owner Richard Davis, is production number 36 and counting for Guerilla Theatre.

The production group was founded by Davis in 2004, with help from other local artists during his senior year as a theater major at UNCW. According to Davis, their goal since the beginning has been to "focus on original works by local playwright. Otherwise, you end up with the same people, with the same voices, speaking the same messages over and over again."

Their plays have ranged from moderately to extremely successful. The proceeds from the first 30 productions allowed the group to invest in The Brown Coat Pub and Theatre, a downtown bar and stage that has now become their home.

As patrons enter the Pub, they are greeted with a ticket counter and full bar on the left hand side. To the right, there is a seating section for 50 or so patrons, leading down to a 20 square foot stage. Audience members range from local college students and townies to middle-aged and even a few older couples. Seats are found and taken, and a few minutes after 8 p.m. the entire Pub goes dark.

The stage lights up and the audience is taken to a typical, suburban street corner, complete with an outdoor bench, table, cooler half full of beer and Arab-run convenient store. The play is a glimpse into the semi-stereotypical day of a group of white suburban kids less than a year out of high school.

The hour and 15-minute play chronicles many of the issues, which sit in the forefront of many young adult minds, such as relationships, war and racial relations, fame, fortune, substance use and abuse, nostalgia and what to do with life.

The three girls and five guys embody qualities that cover a wide range of viewpoints from youths. Suzie, the artsy girl who wants to get out of town, Tim, the angry ex-marine, Pony, the high school band member who hit it big, and Jeff, a nonconformist who is just learning about and embracing non-materialist philosophy.

"Too many possessions clutter the mind," Jeff blurts, saying the words but not really thinking about the meaning. This is an example of the immaturity displayed all of the friends except Pony. His experience in the real world gives him a stronger insight into social reality than the rest of the cast, exemplified by his statement, "It's one thing to think; its another to make other people think."

Local voices seem to be shouting for more. Four-time writer and producer for Guerilla Theatre Justin Cioppa has been accepted into the master's in playwriting program at Carnige Melon University, which only two students are accepted into each year. Cape Fear Community College Professor Marlo Moore has also had two of her works produced.

The plays that are picked at Guerilla Theatre are not without their message. As Augusto Boal said, "Theatre can and should be used to bring about social change."

Davis is very aware of this ideal, pronouncing, "We try to choose plays with social relevance. We are searching for a reevaluation of life through emotional connection with a play."

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