Sunset Limted roars into Dayton
Human Race Theatre Company
Cormac McCarthy is on a roll. His latest novel, "The Road," just won the Pulitzer Prize and the hearts and minds of Oprah’s Book Club. An earlier book, "No Country for Old Men," is coming out next month as a Coen Brothers movie starring Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem. And his play, "The Sunset Limited," gets a regional premiere by The Human Race Theatre Company at The Loft Theatre in downtown Dayton, October 25 through November 11.
Preview night for "The Sunset Limited" is October 25, with official opening night October 26. The show runs Wednesdays through Sundays through November 11, plus Tuesday November 6. There is a Pay What You Can Night, with admission by donations of food or money to local charities, October 24. Tickets are $15.50 to $34, available by calling (937) or (888) 228-3630 or visiting www.humanracetheatre.org .
The play is set off when a professor named White tries to commit suicide by throwing himself in front of the title train and is saved by a faith-driven ex-con named Black. When Black takes White home to his tenement apartment to mull the meaning of life, they find their ideas meld into shades of gray.
While the set-up is perplexing geographically – the real Sunset Limited runs from Florida to California and Black’s apartment is in New York City – the discussion becomes more perplexing, as the two men try to resolve their conflicting views.
"The Sunset Limited" is directed by Human Race Artistic Director Marsha Hanna. White is played by HRTC Resident Artist Michael Kenwood Lippert, most recently noted for his performance as Angus in "The Drawer Boy." Black is played by visiting artist Lindsay Smiling, who was Darren Lemming in this summer’s production of "Take Me Out."
Pam Knauert Lavarnway is the Scenic Designer, Carol Finley the Costume Designer, Charlie Parker the Sound Designer, and John Rensel the Lighting Designer.
"The Sunset Limited" is part of Series 2 of The 2007-2008 Eichelberger Loft Season. The production is sponsored by First United Methodist Church, Requarth Lumber, and Robert & Leesa Comparin. Season sponsors are The Jack W. and Sally D. Eichelberger Foundation, NCR, Premier Health Partners, Morris Home Furnishings, Jim and Enid Goubeaux and the Sam Levin Foundation, with Official Host the DoubleTree Hotel downtown and Official Media Sponsor ThinkTV.
