Every so often one gets a chance to enjoy something truly unique and new at the theater. Such was the case recently when my partner and I drove the 150 miles from Socorro to Las Cruces to attend and enjoy one of the world-premiere performances of Las Cruces playwright Tom Smith's fascinating new play, Aunt Raini at the Black Box Theater in Las Cruces' downtown mall.
The play is intriguing and well written. Mr. Smith is clearly a master of his craft and it shows. The performance by cast members of the No Strings Theater Company was compelling, fascinating and just complicated enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seats – trying to guess what was coming next.
http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/data/566/IMG_2553_med_web.jpg
Aunt Raini and Niece Katherine enjoy girl-talk and a cup of tea
The play has a completely unexpected plot involving a successful New York gallery owner named Katherine – played to perfection by Beth LeCocq, her self-serving and easy-to-dislike photographer-boyfriend, Joel – flawlessly performed by Patrick Payne, and Katherine’s German-born great-Aunt Raini – impeccably acted by seasoned Thespian Toni Marie - who happens to be visiting her niece when the farce begins.
Working as a team, Tom Smith and producer/director Ceil Herman manage to gently help their rapt audience understand, enjoy and appreciate a complex fictional tapestry involving the many threads and layers of the fabric of the life and death of the famous 101-year-old German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. On its surface, the tale carefully considers the fine line between art and propaganda. But in the end, the yarn Smith spins seems to have more to do with trust and secrets and the ways we as individuals shamelessly use one another to achieve our own ends than it does with anything else.
Fiction though it may be, I suspect Riefenstahl would have heartily approved of Smith's work. What higher praise can one pay such an effort?
From opening scene to final curtain Tom Smith manages to keep the audience guessing and thinking the whole way through. By the time the play ends the fact that it raises more questions than it answers really doesn’t matter much. It definitely kept us discussing the performance all the way home.
http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/data/566/IMG_2565_med_web.jpg
Raini's spirit makes the case for innocence
What IS certain is that everyone who sees this play goes away subtly changed and challenged by it. Ultimately, isn’t that what good theater is supposed to be about?
On a five point scale, I give Aunt Raini five stars for acting, directing, for script and for being thought-provoking. The next time Aunt Raini shows up in Las Cruces, be sure to catch it… But you may have to wait a while. I suspect the play may be bound for New York next. It’s certainly worthy of such venues. To enjoy more images from the performance of this play, visit our Aunt Raini Photo Gallery here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/566).
To writer, producer/director and cast, I say “You did a great job. Bravo!” To would-be patrons I say, “You missed a darn fine performance. Be sure not to miss this company’s next show -- which, by-the-way, just happens to be running now.” No Strings Theater Company runs 10 plays per year. So there's sure to be one running almost every month.
For information on upcoming performances by No Strings Theater Company at Black Box Theater, visit our Las Cruces Community Forum and look for announcements or check the Las Cruces upcoming events calendar we provide there. You can also visit the following web site:
No Strings Theater Company (http://no-strings.org/)
Clearly, we enjoyed the No Strings Theater troupe’s Aunt Raini performance. Their current play is titled “Songs for a New World". It premiered at Black Box Theater on May 26th and runs on weekends through June 11. For online ticket reservations click here (http://no-strings.org/reservform.html) or call: 505-503-1223. To check No Strings Theater Company's schedule of upcoming performances, visit our Las Cruces Community Calendar (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/forums/calendar.php?c=23) or drop by their web site (http://no-strings.org/).
My best advice is, 'Don't miss their next play." This theater company is definitely worthy of your support. Enuf said.
By Socorro Reporter
© 2006 SONewMex.com – Permission to Reprint Granted
Every so often one gets a chance to enjoy something truly unique and new at the theater. Such was the case recently when my partner and I drove the 150 miles from Socorro to Las Cruces to attend and enjoy one of the world-premiere performances of Las Cruces playwright Tom Smith's fascinating new play, Aunt Raini at the Black Box Theater in Las Cruces' downtown mall.
The play is intriguing and well written. Mr. Smith is clearly a master of his craft and it shows. The performance by cast members of the No Strings Theater Company was compelling, fascinating and just complicated enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seats – trying to guess what was coming next.
http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/data/566/IMG_2553_med_web.jpg
Aunt Raini and Niece Katherine enjoy girl-talk and a cup of tea
The play has a completely unexpected plot involving a successful New York gallery owner named Katherine – played to perfection by Beth LeCocq, her self-serving and easy-to-dislike photographer-boyfriend, Joel – flawlessly performed by Patrick Payne, and Katherine’s German-born great-Aunt Raini – impeccably acted by seasoned Thespian Toni Marie - who happens to be visiting her niece when the farce begins.
Working as a team, Tom Smith and producer/director Ceil Herman manage to gently help their rapt audience understand, enjoy and appreciate a complex fictional tapestry involving the many threads and layers of the fabric of the life and death of the famous 101-year-old German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. On its surface, the tale carefully considers the fine line between art and propaganda. But in the end, the yarn Smith spins seems to have more to do with trust and secrets and the ways we as individuals shamelessly use one another to achieve our own ends than it does with anything else.
Fiction though it may be, I suspect Riefenstahl would have heartily approved of Smith's work. What higher praise can one pay such an effort?
From opening scene to final curtain Tom Smith manages to keep the audience guessing and thinking the whole way through. By the time the play ends the fact that it raises more questions than it answers really doesn’t matter much. It definitely kept us discussing the performance all the way home.
http://sonewmex.com/pp-514/data/566/IMG_2565_med_web.jpg
Raini's spirit makes the case for innocence
What IS certain is that everyone who sees this play goes away subtly changed and challenged by it. Ultimately, isn’t that what good theater is supposed to be about?
On a five point scale, I give Aunt Raini five stars for acting, directing, for script and for being thought-provoking. The next time Aunt Raini shows up in Las Cruces, be sure to catch it… But you may have to wait a while. I suspect the play may be bound for New York next. It’s certainly worthy of such venues. To enjoy more images from the performance of this play, visit our Aunt Raini Photo Gallery here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/566).
To writer, producer/director and cast, I say “You did a great job. Bravo!” To would-be patrons I say, “You missed a darn fine performance. Be sure not to miss this company’s next show -- which, by-the-way, just happens to be running now.” No Strings Theater Company runs 10 plays per year. So there's sure to be one running almost every month.
For information on upcoming performances by No Strings Theater Company at Black Box Theater, visit our Las Cruces Community Forum and look for announcements or check the Las Cruces upcoming events calendar we provide there. You can also visit the following web site:
No Strings Theater Company (http://no-strings.org/)
Clearly, we enjoyed the No Strings Theater troupe’s Aunt Raini performance. Their current play is titled “Songs for a New World". It premiered at Black Box Theater on May 26th and runs on weekends through June 11. For online ticket reservations click here (http://no-strings.org/reservform.html) or call: 505-503-1223. To check No Strings Theater Company's schedule of upcoming performances, visit our Las Cruces Community Calendar (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/forums/calendar.php?c=23) or drop by their web site (http://no-strings.org/).
My best advice is, 'Don't miss their next play." This theater company is definitely worthy of your support. Enuf said.