Two People in 'One Time' at Next Act

Strange and compelling stories have sprung from the basic setup of two actors and a park bench on a stage. Richard Lyons Conlon takes this premise in an interesting direction in the drama <em>One Time</em>. In a world premiere developed in part at Chicago Dramatists, <strong>Next Act Theatre</strong> presents this story of two people sharing secrets and a growing familiarity as lifetimes converge on a park bench.<br /><br />Linda Stephens and Jonathan Gillard Daly star as the two central figures in a production directed by Next Act's producing artistic director, David Cecsarini. The challenge is to capture a compelling dynamic between these two people without the interaction feeling forced. Next Act should be up to the challenge, as Cecsarini is a director with a true talent for finding nuance in a text.<br /><br />It also helps to have seasoned actors like Daly and Stephens. Daly has been with the Milwaukee Rep for many years. His one-man show <em>The Daly News </em>showed his ability to capture an audience's imagination in an intimate venue. Stephens has also created memorable work in studio dramas, most notably in a Rep production of<em> Seascape</em>.<em><br /><br />One Time </em>runs April 5-29 at Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St. For ticket reservations, call 414-278-0765. <br /><br /> <p> </p> <p><strong>Theater Happenings<br /><br /></strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>Project Empty Space </strong>presents the premiere of Grace DeWolff's <em>Outliers</em>, the story of a suburban teacher who finds herself in charge of a Gifted and Talented program that consists of only one student. This dramatic exploration of the public school system runs April 12-21 at the Alchemist Theatre. For ticket reservations, visit <a href="http://www.alchemisttheatre.com" target="_blank">www.alchemisttheatre.com</a>. </li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>Milwaukee Chamber Theatre</strong> and <strong>UW-Parkside</strong> stage <em>Bus Stop</em>, William Inge's classic 1950s slice of life. Featuring the talents of Doug Jarecki, Dan Katula, Jacque Troy and members of the UW-Parkside Theatre Department, this show runs April 12-29 at the Broadway Theatre Center. For ticket reservations, call 414-291-7800.</li> </ul>