Shameless Plug of the Day: "Good Boys"

by Matthew A. Everett | 8/28/09 • Thanks, MinnesotaPlaylist.com, or I'd have never known this one was happening...

The Minnesota Shakespeare Company is... not doing Shakespeare this month.

Instead, they're doing a play by another playwright about whom there is a lot of speculation but very few actual facts, Jane Martin.

The play is Good Boys.

Here's a bit of info off the MSC blog...

"Good Boys centers around the patriarchs of two families--one white, one African-American-- suffering eight years after a Columbine-like school massacre. Both lost sons, one of whom was the killer.

Good Boys was written by the mysterious Jane Martin, of whom little is known except her plays. It is speculated that she is Jon Jory, who directed every Jane Martin premiere, including the Good Boys premiere at the Guthrie Theatre.

The play concerns forgiveness. In the face of terrible guilt under terrible circumstances, a father seeks another father. One is a minister who has lost his vocation in the aftermath of his son's murder. The other father tries living a life after his son killed 8 students, and himself. It is a raw, tragic story, with Hope at play's end, appearing as a nuanced possibility.

Venue: THE LOWRY LAB, 360 St. Peter St., St Paul, MN, 55199--In the Lowry Building.

Dates: Friday, August 21 Sat, Aug 22 Sun, Aug 23 Fri, Aug 28 Sat, Aug 29 Sun, Aug 30 Fri, Sept 4 Sat, Sept 5 Sun, Sept 6 and Labor Day.

Show times: Fri, Sat eves at 7:30 PM; Sundays & Labor Day at 6:30 PM
Ticket prices: $20.00, with two for the price of one Saturday, August 22, and a Pay-what-you-can performance Labor Day.

Ticket phone: 651-786-9102

Ticket email: minnesotashakes@gmail.com. Please include your telephone number, your preferred date and number of tickets.

Website: minnesotashakes.blogspot.com"

From reports on the blog, they apparently had a great opening weekend crowd and discussion afterward.

The reason I'm really glad I found out about it is one of the cast members is Nick James Parker.

Nick portrayed Seth, the gay Marine who was part of the central couple in my play "Leave" last fall (in rehearsal right about this time last year). He's a big part of the reason the production was on Lavender's Top 10 List for Theater in 2008

He's a great fearless actor, and a pretty funny improv comedian when he's not hip-deep in a drama, and I'd go see him in pretty much anything.

And I'd recommend other people go see him in pretty much anything.

This would be no exception.

From the blog, it would seem he's the troubled kid with the gun and anger-management issues.

With luck, I should be able to catch their Saturday show. They run this weekend and next and then they're done.

If Nick's in it, I recommend it, sight unseen. But I'll report back once I have a chance to see it myself. Meantime, if you get a chance to see if for yourself - go.

Matthew A. Everett is a local playwright and three-time recipient of grant support from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Information on Matthew and his plays can be found at matthewaeverett.com.