A young man named Clay is involved in a crime. And so this young man is on the run from the law. He seeks refuge from the police in the home of an elderly woman named Tilly, and his life changes in a profound way by his encounter with her. He is forced to make some pretty important decisions about who he can really trust in the course of his life. Why? Because this is the plot of Captive, a theatrical script by Alan Atwood.
A UW-Milwaukee graduate from decades ago with a BFA in theatre, Atwood is a locally based playwright whose work has appeared all over the country. In spite of this, only a relatively small group of people is familiar with his output. The reason for this has everything to do with the fact that he works in a niche. It's a Christian niche.
Early on after completing his training at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, Atwood had returned to Milwaukee and co-founded the Christian-based Acacia Theatre Company, for which he served as artistic director for nearly a decade. Since then, he has become pastor of drama at Eastbrook Church, where he has written a few full-length plays in which he endeavors to bring the teachings of the Christian god into real-life experience. The story of Clay and Tilly is just such a work and it is being produced by Eastbrook’s Morning Star Productions. The show runs June 7-21 at Eastbrook Church (5385 N. Green Bay Ave.). For ticket reservations, call 414-228-5220, ext. 385, or for more information, visit eastbrookchurch.org.
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Theater Happenings
The American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wis., opens its season this week with Irish playwright Brian Friel's Molly Sweeney in its indoor Touchstone Theatre. The show runs June 8 through Sept. 28. For ticket reservations, call 608-588-2361, or for more information, visit americanplayers.org.
The Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa presents its 28th Annual Original One Act Festival for Wisconsin Playwrights next week at Milwaukee's Carte Blanche Studios (1024 S. Fifth St.) The festival runs June 14-15 and 21-22. For ticket reservations, call 414-207-4879 or email oneactfestival@villageplayhouse.org; for more information, visit villageplayhouse.org.
