Relationships, competition focus of play

Being a little more seasoned after their first production, ‘Waiting for Godot,’ The Sam and Jim Acting Company is presenting a series of three plays with a more direct theme at the end of November in the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center.

“Human Relationships/Human Competition” is compiled of three works that the company hopes will linger with the audience for days.

Company co-founder Anthony Taub said, “We are trying to do shows that are a little more provocative. These plays are about very basic human instincts and needs. What makes up a relationship? How do people communicate? How do people compete with each other? How far will someone go to get first place and why do they want it so bad?”

The production will do more than just make the audience laugh for a couple of hours, co-founder and director Charles Savoy said, it will give them something to take home and think about for days. “These plays are definitely different from the ones people are use to seeing at other local theatres,” he said.

The first half of the production consists of two short plays by David Ives, “Seven Menus” and “English Made Simple.”

“Seven Menus” is presented in a series of vignettes following seven people through a string of dates with only a few degrees of separation. Taub said, “It’s more of a musical chairs dating show.”

“English Made Simple” is based around two characters, Jack and Jill, accompanied by a narrator who translates their dialogue. “It really helps explain the components of romantic conversation,” Taub said.

In the second half of the production the company is presenting a one-act play by Israel Horovitz titled “Line.” This play focuses on the struggles related to everyday competition. The type of competition that people find in everyday in both their personal and professional lives, but with a comedic twist, according to Taub.

“We knew this was going to be a great show when we held the auditions and the actors reading the lines couldn’t stop laughing,” Savoy said

The duo hopes that this production helps steer audiences away from the mainstream comedy generally found in the local theatre scene and into something a little more abstract. “We know that’s something that we are going to have to ease our audiences into,” Taub said.

“We would really like to help create a more vibrant art scene here,” he said. “We would love to see the community become more involved, not just as an audience either, but at a real artistic base.”

The Human Relationships/Human Competition production is for mature audiences due to graphic language, adult situations and themes.

The production runs Wednesday, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 3, with show times at 7:30 p.m. A 2:30 p.m. matinee is also being held on Dec. 3. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door or online at www.staceysonlinemarket.com/samandjimactingco.html.

For more information on Sam & Jim Acting Company, visit https://www.myspace.com/samandjim online.