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Reed McAllister and Elena Carson, two former University of Wisconsin at Madison students, grapple with that question when both are stranded at a mid-western airport, on their way to opposite sides of the country. It's a big snowstorm, one of the largest blizzards of the season, and eventually, after a series of internal conversations shared with the audience, the two decide they might as well “re-connect.” But, as the play, Shooting Star unfolds, the audience gradually learns that they’re not being entirely honest with one another or about the twists and turns their lives have taken.
Written by Steven Dietz and directed by Donald Hicken, currently playing at Everyman Theatre in Baltimore through Fe uary 20th, this is a well crafted script that speaks on many levels. One of the most popular plays in regional theatres over the past two years, it's easy to see why. Only requiring two talented actors and one simple set, Shooting Star is a one-act play which runs approximately 90 minutes. The intimate size and three sided configuration of Everyman Theatre lend itself well to this production. Deborah Hazlett and Paul Morella, both well cast as Elena—the aging flower child and Reed—the critical thinker turned businessman, capture the audience’s undivided attention with both their monologues and dialogues. They give fine performances. The present time period is 2006 and the characters lived in Madison 25 years earlier. While anyone who grew up in the 1970s will have a particular affinity for the subject matter, as Elena and Reed talk about their favorite books stacked on shelves constructed of icks and boards (Does anyone remember Jonathon Livingston Seagull?) and the era of “free love”, the storyline tackles the issues of ambition, morality, and honesty. It’s the kind of story you think about and talk about for days afterwards. It’s a show you don’t want to miss, and particularly suited to these cold days and nights as we approach Valentine’s Day season. See it with a good friend or someone you love. For ticket information contact Everyman Theater at www.everymantheatre.org
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