This show was produced from April 25 — MAY 11, 2014

True West

By Sam Shepard

Directed By Christopher Schimpf

STARRING

Jason Cutts

Patrick Alicarlo

Breen Rourke

Kris Andrews

“The audience at the South Camden Theatre Company (SCTC) production of GEMINI was told they would enjoy an evening of comedic drama. SCTC gave them that and more with a script written by the theatrically beleaguered author, Albert Innaurato.”

True West is about the sibling rivalry between two estranged brothers who have reconnected. The play begins with brothers Austin and Lee sitting in their mother’s house. This is the first time they’ve seen one another in five years. The two are not on good terms, but Austin attempts to appease his older brother, who is more dominant. We learn that their mother is on vacation in Alaska and that Austin is house-sitting. Austin is trying to work on his screenplay but Lee continually distracts him with nonsense questions. The two brothers seem on edge with one another. When Austin suggests that Lee leave, Lee threatens to steal things from the neighborhood. Austin calms him down and the night ends with the two of them on neutral.

Lee talks about the security level of their mother’s house, and how Lee went into the desert to find their dad. Austin then tells Lee to leave the house because a film producer, Saul, is coming by to look at Austin’s screenplay (described as a “period piece”). Lee agrees to leave in exchange for Austin’s car keys. Austin is reluctant at first but eventually relents and Lee promises that he will have it back by six. Lee departs.

Saul and Austin are discussing their agreement when Lee enters with a stolen television set. Saul and Lee discuss golf and make plans to play the next day, excluding Austin because he doesn’t play, despite his desire that Lee has nothing to do with Saul. Lee proposes a script idea to Saul and Saul reacts positively.

Lee describes his story out loud. Austin writes it down, but stops, saying it doesn’t resemble real life. The two brothers quarrel and Austin asks Lee for his car keys back. Lee assumes Austin is trying to make him leave, and Lee says he can’t be kicked out. Austin says he wouldn’t kick him out because he’s his brother. Lee counters that being brothers means nothing because in-family murders are most common. Austin assures him they won’t be driven to murder over a movie script. The two admit to being envious of each other’s lives, Lee returns the car keys and the scene closes with Austin typing Lee’s story.

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Funding has been made possible in part by the Camden County Cultural & Heritage Commission at Camden County College, through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.