From now until August 11, First Run Theatre is performing a comedy double feature. First up is The Conversation About the Keys (Part I: Tim Without Thalia), a breakup dramedy written by Yu-Li Alice Shen, an English professor at the University of Southern Indiana. As the title implies, it is the first act of a two-act play, but it functions equally well as a standalone story. The chaser to this bittersweet tale is Cash Flow, a playful story of class struggle written by local graphic designer Marjorie Williamson.
The show takes place at the Kranzberg Black Box (501 N. Grand Blvd.), the favored location for First Run’smainstage shows. I had an opportunity to meet creative director Gwennyth Rausch and stage director Phil Wright two weeks before the premiere. I was intrigued by First Run’s unique vision, as well as the deep knowledge and professionalism of their creative team and my expectations were set high.
First Run selects never-before-seen scripts written by Midwestern authors, chosen through “blind reading” by the creative committee. The readers do not know the author’s name or professional background, which ensures an unbiased selection process. It’s a risky strategy, especially during the post-COVID recession for live entertainment. Every First Run show is an experiment, and the company can’t bank on the enduring popularity of Shakespeare, Annie, or anything else from the past. On the flipside, First Run’s shows are guaranteed to be fresh and unpredictable. I can certainly say that the comedy double feature was unlike any other play I’ve seen this year. The multi-talented First Runteam proves that theater is a lively, essential art that brings communities together.
In The Conversation About the Keys, painfully earnest Tim (Tom Kessinger) is plagued with doubt and estranged from his fiancée, Thalia (Camryn Ruhl). He receives less-than-helpful advice from his immature friends, Albert (Mason Ramsey) and Greg (Justin Pannacchia-Schimsa), in a series of barroom conversations. Scenes from Tim and Thalia’s relationship play out in a nonlinear, stream-of-consciousness fashion. For a couple on the verge of a breakup, Tim and Thalia have great chemistry—all thanks to the acting skills of Kessinger and Ruhl, as well as Prof. Shen’s alternately down-to-earth and head-scratching, philosophical dialogue. The interactions between Tim, Thalia, and Tim’s friends feels natural and each scene flows smoothly into the next.
The emotionally intense first act is followed by the sharp-witted social satire of Cash Flow. It tells the story of Roger (Mason Ramsey, again), a financier who’s grown cynical and weary of his status-seeking, social-climbing lifestyle. He has a chance encounter with “Rebecca” (Amie Bossi) a down-on-her-luck kindergarten teacher—at least, that’s her alibi. Rebecca lies her way into penthouse parties and burglarizes the unsuspecting hosts. An unlikely friendship develops between Roger and Rebecca; they’re both hungry for money, power and respect and they’re not above bending the rules or breaking the law. Camryn Ruhl briefly reappears as the “real” Rebecca, Roger’s wife. Otherwise, the one-act play almost entirely consists of rapid-fire exchanges between Ramsey and Bossi.
The dialogue is clever, cutting, and contemporary. I know at least two teachers in the audience who found Rebecca uncomfortably relatable (and one of them was me). In future performances, Ramsey and Bossi may want to slow down a bit and give the lines time for a smoother landing—the dialogue was occasionally rushed. Then again, the play is almost non-stop talking between two characters, which is a demanding task for any actor. Ramsey and Bossi certainly nailed their flawed-but-sympathetic characters and earned plenty of laughs.
First Run’s comedy double feature is a night of dynamic and delightful entertainment. I encourage all theater fans in St. Louis to take part in the First Run experience. If you enjoy the show, you may also want to attend the St. Louis Writer’s Group, which partners with FRT to choose new scripts. Staged readings are held at Square One Brewery on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm. These events are free for audience members and aspiring writers alike. And if you enjoyed Cash Flow, you can see the First Run Theatre production of Marjorie Williamson’s next project, Elephants’ Graveyard, starting November 15. (Keep an eye on firstruntheatre.org for when tickets go on sale.) The playwright dubs it “a mostly funny play about… well, death.” What’s not to like? | Rob Von Nordheim
Performances of First Run’s Comedy Double Feature are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm and Sundays at 2:00pm through August 11. Tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for students. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit firstruntheatre.org.
