D. L. Coburn’s award-winning The Gin Game is the upcoming July offering from Mask & Mirror Community Theatre’s UnMasked Series of edgy and thought-provoking plays. The drama, directed by Linda Morris Talluto, will run July 14-30 at the Tualatin Heritage Center, 8700 SW Sweek Drive, Tualatin. Performance times are 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday and 3:00 pm Sunday.
In this winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, originally starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn and later revived with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, a card game becomes a metaphor for life. Weller Martin is playing solitaire on the porch of a seedy nursing home when the prim, self-righteous Fonsia Dorsey appears. They discover they both dislike the home and enjoy gin rummy, so they begin to play, and Fonsia surprisingly wins every time. As they reveal intimate details of their lives, their secrets become weapons used against one another. Though Weller longs for a victory to counter a lifetime of defeats, it doesn’t happen. Will he leave the stage a broken man? Will Fonsia’s rigidity lead to an embittered, lonely, old age?
This show has some strong language, and anger expressed by the characters may cause discomfort.
Director Linda Talluto has cast seasoned performers Kathleen Silloway as Fonsia Dorsey and Marc Berezin as Weller Martin. They will each have you guessing which strong personality prevails in this metaphorical game of life. Linda enthusiastically states, “Working with these two actors is a constant source of joy and discovery, as they bring a wealth of experience to their roles. Each rehearsal reveals a new depth of character development. The story and characters are complex, and at times, uncomfortable. Yet, as we explore the depths of their life experiences, we better understand the hurt and anger they feel. This is a riveting drama from which I hope our audiences learn, leaving with a better understanding of the complexities of old age.”
Mask & Mirror Community Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit performing company. Your support is very much appreciated. Additional information can be obtained by visiting www.maskandmirror.com.
