Darkly Comedic World Premiere Play Blind Spots by Colette Freedman Tracks a Family’s Implosion in the Wake of Gay Brother’s Suicide
Toluca Lake, CA SST Productions and Crash Box proudly present the world premiere of Blind Spots, a new play by Colette Freedman. Blind Spots debuts at the Sherry Theatre in North Hollywood, opening March 26 and running through April 30th. Freedman once again collaborates with director Elise Robertson and Producer Kurt Swanson, along with a cast of top local actresses, to bring to life this black comedy about a gay journalist who battles her homophobic sister… to the death.
Set in a small New England town, Blind Spots follows Gretchen, a reporter attempting to thwart passage of a bill on the local college campus outlawing gay marriage. Unfortunately, the bill is spearheaded by the new college president—her sister Kate, who has just returned to the town where they grew up. The politics become personal when Kate blackmails Gretchen in an attempt to quiet her poison pen. It seems each blames the other for the suicide of their brother Robbie decades before, and the enmity leads to a showdown in which dark family secrets are exposed.
Freedman’s gift as a writer is attacking the most serious of subjects with wit and dark humor. The script delves into the complexities of family relationships, examining how family dysfunction is a breeding ground for bigotry, misunderstanding, and hate. The pace is brisk and the one liners pop as the characters tackle political hotbed issues like Prop. 8 and the bullying of gay teens. Director Elise Robertson explains, “I don’t like preachy plays – there’s always more to the story of how bigotry develops. We’ve tried very hard to make these characters human, to explore both sides of the issues at hand. We do want to give the audience something to think about, but who says it has be medicine going down? Colette’s work is always funny, and that’s priceless as far as I’m concerned.â€
Colette Freedman is an internationally produced writer who was voted “One of 50 to Watch†by The Dramatist’s Guild. Critics have described Colette Freedman’s previous work as “highly entertaining,†“meticulously carved, [with] smart and witty rhetoric,†“moving and relevant.†She has just co-written, with internationally bestselling novelist Jackie Collins, the play Jackie Collins’s Hollywood Lies. In collaboration with The New York Times best-selling author Michael Scott, she has just sold the thriller 13 Hallows to Tor/Macmillan. (For more information on Colette, go to www.curtainrise.com.)
Freedman, director Elise Robertson, producer Kurt Swanson (with SST Productions) and cast members Jade Sealey and Susan Ziegler all previously teamed on Colette’s first full length play Sister Cities, another female-centric play which went on to become was the hit of the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe and earn five star reviews: It has been produced around the country and is gearing up for productions in Paris (Une Ville, Une Soeur) and Rome (Le Quattro Sorelle). Says Freedman, “I go to the theatre a lot and I’m always shocked to see how few women are on stage. I love seeing plays about women and being a voyeur in their personal struggles. Women speak differently than men and I love creating stories with women, about women.â€
Director Elise Robertson agrees. Three years ago, Robertson was nominated for a Garland Critic’s Award for her directing on the all-female 1930’s zinger comedy The Women, hailed by critics as “darn funny,†a “vivid, juicy production,†with “admirably brisk direction.†She is also an actress and a film/tv director and is currently finishing up post-production on her first feature film, Donner Pass (more on Elise at www.eliserobertson.com).
Members of the outstanding ensemble of actresses (and one young actor) include: Vanessa Waters, Jade Sealey, Helen Mary Wilson, Colette Freedman, Elise Robertson and Logan Lozier along with understudies Susan Ziegler, Brynn Horrocks, Koni McCurdy, Courtney Munch and Elizabeth Kouri.
Blind Spots runs March 25, 2011 through April 30, 2011; Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm, at The Sherry Theatre, 11052 Magnolia Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601. Tickets are $30; advance purchase or reservations are recommended. Tickets may be purchased at: www.blindspotsplay.com or by calling (323) 601-1082 Ext. 6
