Actors Theatre of Phoenix's The Arizona Project at The Herberger Theatre Center Stage West
(out of 
)Mark S.P. Turvin
(home office) (602) 912-0117
I can be reached for comment via e-mail at: mspt@goldfishpublishers.com
Reviewed 5/9/00
(out of )Take a local playwright on the rise with an interesting vision of the Copper State, add six local stars of unquestionable talent, and put behind it the power and vision of Matthew Wiener and the second largest theatre in Arizona, and you've got the potential for great theatre. There are times when even these surefire components misfire, but I'm happy to say, Michael Grady's The Arizona Project lives up to the sum of its parts. This is a play that explores the effects on a modern transplanted couple by the two greatest paradoxes of Arizona, the entrepreneurial spirit of man as embodied by the Lost Dutchman, versus the majestic power of the desert, as embodied by a centuries-old saguaro cactus named Danny.
Steven and Anna are a couple moving from Minnesota to Phoenix. Steven is in public relations, while Anna is an architect. They have been hired by the pompous Hammond to create a revolutionary development for middle income families on the edge of the desert. The couple has virtuous intentions, but as Hammond raises the prices on the houses, Steven is drawn into monetary intrigues, while Anna rediscovers her repressed Hispanic heritage and connection to the land of her father while lost in the desert. While Mr. Grady's liberal bent and siding with the desert over the developer is unmistakable, there is no real black and white here: The desert can be just as much a moustache-twirling villain as the developer, and the developer's intentions are as understandable as the desert's. Most impressive, Mr. Grady presents this view of our state without ever using the phrase "dry heat," or adding a scorpion into the mix. According to the playwright, this is a play by Arizonans, for Arizonans. It speaks our language and deals with our issues. It lives and dies in this state, and Messrs. Wiener and Grady know it will not translate outside our borders, much like the work of Israel Horovitz in his Gloucester, MA plays, or those produced by Jeff Daniel's Purple Rose Theatre in Michigan.
Not only is the script impressive, but Mr. Wiener's direction, the designers' creations, and the cast's offerings are of the same high caliber. Mr. Wiener has quickly-paced this in much the same way he did last season's Gun-Shy, though it does have some slower moments in the second act as the drama overtakes the comedy, drawing the evening out a bit. His biggest triumph is his cast, a who's-who of local luminaries that do a great job with their offerings.
The central couple, Bob Sorenson and Melinda Thomas, are subtly wonderful. Mr. Sorenson embodies Steven's metamorphosis without ever losing his disarming charm. Textually, he can be as devilish as both the Lost Dutchman and the Saguaro claim, but Mr. Sorenson layers his character with such humanity and earnest gullibility, it's impossible not to love him. Ms. Thomas sheds her prickly skin so invisibly, her change is shocking by the finale.
When in doubt on how to play an icon and a cactus, call on the talents of Jon Gentry and Richard Trujillo. Mr. Gentry's command of physical humor makes his offering of the crotchety Lost Dutchman hilarious, as well as the other minor roles he plays. Mr. Trujillo's strong stage presence makes the militant saguaro both ominous and heroic, a necessary and welcome balance. Nicholas Glaeser is a hoot as the evil developer, the only role that lacks textual shading. Michelle Gardner offers wonderful transitions in her balancing roles of overbearing next door neighbor and overwhelmed Hispanic after-school teacher.
Jeff Thomson's unit set is perfect, with the giant billboard/horizon effect, the surrounding desert and the square of civilization in the middle conveying the point of the play equally as well as the script. Paul A. Black's expressive lighting captures all moods of the state. Constance Furr-Soloman's costumes are equally fitting and hilarious. Alan Lea's sound design is extensive and accurate, and Cat Dragon's props are well-chosen.
Not since Guv has a piece so accurately pegged the deeply conflicted state of Arizona. It almost seems a shame that this show will have a three-week run, as it seems it should be seen by many more people than the Herberger Stage West seats can hold during that time. Here's to hoping that this project will see an extended life in the future.
Production Details:
The Arizona Project by Michael
Grady
Actors Theatre of Phoenix
Herberger Theatre Stage West, Phoenix
(602) 252-8497
May 12th - 28th, 2000