A perfect premiere

    Written by Daniel Edmiston, the new play “Coyote Point” follows a American Indian man named Russell (Brian Lunsford) who returns home after twenty years to take care of his dying mother Louise (Rose Williams) and run her store with the help of his adventurous daughter Dani (Stacey Silverman) and a regular customer named Cliff (Warren Downs), who can never buy enough gum. When a film company executive named Broderick (Zane Wind) approaches Russell for permission to make a movie about his grandfather, along with big time Hollywood star Christopher Wolff (Evan Fields), Russell must confront his troubled past and make decisions that could change the future of his life, as well as the tribe he once left behind.
    Acted out in two thirty-five minute segments with a ten minute intermission, “Coyote Point” flows excessively well on stage as it opens with a nature defying story about a coyote and trout racing down the creek looking for something shallow, and something deep respectively. As a solo drum plays in the background of the racing story, along with a sunny golden light resurrecting from all sides of the square, the tribal Indian perspective of the plot immediately sinks in with viewers. It’s a bit ironic to make a quick transition from a story of nature’s miracles into a local family establishment nearing bankruptcy, but the connections grow closer in every scene up until the closing repeat of the same story; now making even more sense than it did the first time.
    Led by senior theatre major Brian Lunsford, the cast of “Coyote Point” really turns in some dynamite success on stage not just with their words, but also some strategic movement as they must support an audience on three sides of the squared stage. Lunsford uses his resume of experience to bring out the multiple qualities of the Russell character. One minute he’ll be weaving a blanket without a care in the world, then he’ll be selling gum (which is probably all he sells on a daily basis) to a regular. Before the lights go down for the last time, he provides some sharp cuts of emotion as he attempts to negotiate the importance of his family legacy with Zane Wind, who really hates taking “no” for an answer in his line of work, as well as Evan Fields, who thrives on superstardom while sporting some flashy aviators. The dialogue between such a small cast of six also keeps the pace moving as transitions and cues are hit at a nearly perfect rate with sharp drama and occasional humor (all I’m going to say is Edmiston must have a really low opinion of Bruce Willis).
    While driven on its acting and dialogue, “Coyote Point” also does a good job of disguising one of the most obvious setbacks of stage production (when compared to filmmaking); a single set layout. It’s completely necessary for this story to occur primarily in an old fashioned store, but with the tribal Indian back story, it would also seem likely that this project could take place in a natural location; like maybe a forest of some sort, but if story telling was a driving aspect of Indian cultures, then there’s certainly nothing wrong with just dimming the lights with some golden glare from underneath.
    Strong performances along with exquisite lighting and slick transitions make the premiere production of “Coyote Point” a true success that is guaranteed to send viewers home happy. With only a 110 seating arrangement on stage, admission to “Coyote Point” is much more competitive and limited than fall semester’s run of “The Tempest,” but to be so up close with the performers gives the audience a sense of connection that makes them feel like they are just as much a part of the show, making the “Point” only so much clearer.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 7 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry