See This: Eclipse Theatre Company's Blue Surge

By Julienne Bilker in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 26, 2009 6:40PM

Straying from its one-playwright-per-season standard, Eclipse Theatre Company spent last year celebrating the work of playwrights featured since its inception. The company kicked off the second half of the "Celebration Series" on Monday night with Blue Surge. In this Rebecca Gilman script, Curt and Doug, two small-town cops in their mid-thirties, try to arrest Heather and Sandy, a pair of prostitutes working at a local massage parlor next to the Ground Round. Both girls are released with warnings, but the relationships don’t end there.

Doug (Nathaniel Swift) starts dating Heather (Sasha Gioppo), and although Curt (Kevin Scott) is engaged to Beth (Kerry Richlan), he becomes consumed by his desire to help 21 year-old Sandy (Laura Coover) start a better life. Oh, and they all went to the same high school. In the wrong hands, this could turn into a superficial farce. Instead it’s an honest, gritty, smart, funny and thought-provoking piece about the social impact of economic and class differences, and the struggle to keep hope when life turns into a shitstorm.

These are real people, and you might be surprised at how relatable they are. The cast, under the direction of Anish Jethmalani, embraces the show’s comedy without sacrificing depth or sincerity, while keeping things moving at a swift - but not rushed - pace. We’d be remiss if we didn’t call out Laura Coover and Kevin Scott for their stellar performances, but really, the acting is great all around. We could keep going, but we want you to stop reading this so you can buy your tickets.

Blue Surge, through May 3rd, $20-$25, Eclipse Theatre Company at the Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave, 773-404-7336