Local theater troupe Icarus Falling makes its debut this week, staging Sam Shepard’s “True West.”
“True West” is a drama about two brothers, Austin and Lee, who have completely different lifestyles. Austin, played by Lansing resident Daryl Thompson, is a college graduate, family man and screenplay writer, while the elder Lee, played by Lansing resident Kevin Knights, is the black sheep of the family and moves from one job to the next.
“Austin starts off as a fairly conservative guy,” said troupe co-founder Thompson.
Both in their 30s, the brothers cross paths at their mother’s house. Emma Dowd plays the brothers’ mother. Austin is there to house-sit and sell a screenplay when Lee, a little rough around the edges, straggles in unexpectedly and everything goes awry.
Sibling rivalry begins to resurface. To compete with his brother, Lee writes a script of his own and tries to sell it to Austin’s producer, Sal, played by mathematics junior Laura J. Thompson.
Challenging Sal to a game of golf, Lee makes a wager that if he wins Sal will have to consider his script.
“I’m the catalyst in the conflict between the two brothers,” Laura Thompson said.
The brothers’ roles begin to reverse. Lee takes on Austin’s life as a writer and Austin starts drinking. The tension mounts as the brothers get into drunken brawls and arguments.
“Austin eventually breaks down, becomes pretty animalistic, violent and in the end loses all his social mores,” Daryl Thompson said.
Preparation for the small cast of four’s first show was difficult and fulfilling, said troupe co-founder Jeff Croff, the show’s director. He said it’s been really exciting and far more challenging than anything he’s done in the past.
Studying theater at MSU helped Croff gain an appreciation for musicals and comedies, but didn’t give him much exposure to more risky plays.
“The plays here are a little more savvy; they make you think,” Laura Thompson said. “I bring a different perspective because my favorites are generally comedies and musicals.”
Icarus Falling refers to the Greek myth of Icarus, who although warned by his father, Daedalus, not to fly too high, flew too close to the sun. His wax wings melted, and he fell to his death.
“We started off with just a name, and we’ve come so far. It’s thrilling,” Daryl Thompson said.
The troupe hopes to challenge its audience.
“Instead of living our lives wondering what if, we’d rather try and risk it all to get great success like Icarus did,” Croff said.
“True West” opens at 8 p.m. today the Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St. in Lansing. It runs again at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $7. Adult language and violence make this piece suitable only for mature audiences.
