The Sixth Trumpet
Directed by Cathy Holbrook
Performed at Two Roads Theater, Studio City, CA
Sept 17th - Oct 3rd, 2004
Review
From the Tolucan Times by Mary Mallory
The naked city can be a cold, cruel place. Greed, corruption, selfishness, and hatred sometimes seem to lurk around every corner. There is a better way practicing hope and faith. It might not lend to a higher tax bracket, but it brings peace and spiritual reward.
These are a few of the issues raised in Greg Beastrom's play "The Sixth Trumpet". Part noir detective yarn and part religious message, the production gently preaches the greatness of repentance and faith through the cynical of private dick Archie.
A former angel of death, protecting God's people and his Son, hardened jaded Archie dropped out of the spiritual race through witnessing man's inhumanity to man. He now spends his time investigating petty crimes and misdemeanors.
The Angel Gabriel turns to his former friend to find the stolen 6th Trumpet, whose playing will cause Armageddon on earth. Will Archie discover the location of the horn and save the world, or will he fall further into despair?
Playwright Beastrom has conceived a story of redemption through the dark, brutal detective miliea of the 1930's and 1940's. He successfully captures the black moods, slang and feel of the period, presenting the many toils and snares that entrap individuals in doubt, despondency, and destruction.
As an actor Beastrom also shines as the disbelieving unhappy detective Archie. He slowly peels away the armor protecting the detective's vulnerable soul reveal a feeling man underneath. Kay Dease successfully captures the selfish arrogant Leviathan, stylish and superficial.
In dual roles Lainee Gram does excellent work portraying the warm gracious Southern "Deb", a guardian angel and put-upon secretary Rhoda, a gum chewing, peroxide blonde with moxie. Olivia Gowan brings vitality and compassion to the manipulative flirty little vixen Babylon.
Director Cathy Holbrook inspires her actors to energetic confident performances. Robyn Thomas has assembled a lovely collection of costumes including elegant, slinky evening gowns, cocktail dresses, ruffs, hats, gloves, and striking costumes jewelry.
A little long and occasionally heavy-handed, the production successfully employs the conventions of pulp crime novels where the troubled, questioning detective finds answers to life's puzzling questions.
Overview
We live in a city created by human hands. It is the seen world. A world where belief is measured by that which is concrete. But it's not real. There is the hidden city that cannot be seen without understanding. It's a metropolis inhabited by angels and devils. It's a dark city. A city of beings designed to pick up after humanity's messes - or create them. This is the story of Archie, an angel and private eye. At one time, Archie was an idealistic heavenly agent. He was an angel of death, the sword of God's judgment, the protection of God's people. However, thousands of years of witnessing man's inhumanity to man left Archie jaded, hard-boiled and tough as nails. He walked away and never looked back. But God, the Boss, has a way of gumming up the works. When the sixth trumpet, the harbinger of Armageddon on Earth, is stolen, the angelic host turns to Archie to get it back before humanity is lost for eternity. "The Sixth Trumpet" takes place in Archie's world, a world that mirrors the 30's and 40's - where archangels keep the peace, devils make up the syndicate and the rest of the riff raff are just a bunch of mooks trying to help mankind make ends meet. And maybe, if you're lucky, a ray of sunshine can break through the steel and concrete canyons of Angel City, and even a tough guy like Archie can discover there's always hope.The Cast
GREG BEASTROM - (Archie)
KAY DEASE - (Leviathon)
AMANDA SCHAIBLE - (Gabriel)
KEN JONES - (Michael)
KRISTINA BAKREVSKI - (Shamar)
LAINEE GRAM - (Rhoda)
OLIVIA GOWAN - (Babylon)
AMY SCOTT - (Abaddon)
DEREK BURKE - (Belial)
CLARISSA RAEEN - (Frenchy)
TED SMITH - (6th Angel)
LESLIE MCELROY - (Ruthie)
ROBYN THOMAS - (Val)
LAINEE GRAM - (Deb)
RENNY LEWIS - (Cherub)
DESSIREE DAVENPORT - (Cherub)
DANIELLE GUGAS - (Cherub)
PETER GOLDBERG - (Cherub)
RICHARD FAYLE - (Police Officer)
TERRY DAVENPORT - (Charity)
RICHARD FAYLE - (Graves)
RICHARD FAYLE - (Zombie)
DEBRA JONES - (Torch Singer)
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