Feckers Theater Collective Debuts with a Captivating Collection of Short Plays

The cast of "A Sweet and Bitter Providence," one of the plays featured in Feckers Theater Collective's 1 x 1 = 5. Photo by Brian Hueske.

There’s always something new and exciting happening in the Triangle arts scene. Case in point: Feckers Theater Collective, self-described as “a new troupe born out of the Carrboro ArtsCenter,” made its public debut with 1 X 1 = 5: A Collection of Short Plays. Directed by Sarah Donnell, who taught the founding troupe members in an advanced acting class two years ago, the production, which takes place on the Carrboro ArtsCenter stage, is a short one—clocking in at just over an hour. And, yet, it does a lot with the time. From exploring the lengths a scorned and desperate lover will go to to watching the quirkiest of new loves bloom, there’s something for everyone in these five short, well-acted plays, many of which are little-known works by some impressive playwrights.

First up is John Patrick Shanley’s Poison, in which a desperate woman, Kelly (Delia DeCourcy), consults with a Gypsy (Magda Budds) to try and win back her lover, Kenny (Tim Field). The panic and desperation that build and grow throughout the play keep viewers intrigued, and there are some nice moments of shared chemistry between Budds and DeCourcy and DeCourcy and Field, respectively. Field’s flustered, flabbergasted portrayal of Kenny, made all the more endearing by his boyish demeanor and shocked expressions, is an easy scene-stealer.

Field is also present in the second play, David Auburn’s Two Dads, which is really more of a conversation. Two men, identified only as Dad 1 (Field) and Dad 2 (Cooper Thornton), sit poolside at a resort and discuss their children. Dad 1 is frustrated over a meandering son who wants to give up tennis for music, while Dad 2 is dealing with something much heavier: a dose of unrealized post-traumatic stress. His daughter has been the victim of domestic abuse, and it’s obviously affected him greatly . . . and, yet, the conversation is handled breezily. This beautiful piece of writing showcases how the horrible can become normal and offers a poignant reflection on parenting and the importance of connection and feeling heard. The two actors play nicely off of one another, with Donnell’s easy, lighthearted direction perfectly capturing the play’s tone, and Thornton gives an especially sensitive, emotional performance. 

While the second play stands out as the highlight of the production, there’s still more in store. Ashley Mattison and Magda Budds, who showcases her gift for physical comedy, share a tense but humorous conversation as neighbors in Suzan-Lori Parks’ 2 Marys. This play, which is similar in nature to Two Dads, serves as a nice complement to the preceding work and deals with some of the same themes, including domestic violence. However, here, it is handled as humorous. The idea of shared connection is present, but what really stands out, when these two plays are paired, is the power and effect that different presentations of the same subject matter can have. While Two Dads is sensitive and tender, 2 Marys purposefully borders on the offensive, setting up a fascinating contrast.

The penultimate play is Julia Jordan’s A Sweet and Bitter Providence, which widens the scope of the production from individual family members to an entire family. Here, three sisters discuss how to convince their brother, Sam, acted by Michael Venutolo-Mantovani, to leave his girlfriend. While their ill-received attempts are cloaked in love, their approach is all wrong, and Venutolo-Mantovani’s annoyed but loving portrayal perfectly captures that claustrophobic, mildly flattered, and highly pressurized feeling of being ganged up on by the most well meaning of assailants.

As the evening winds to an end, the energy picks up with Patrick Gabridge’s Measuring Matthew. This play is easily the most lively of the bunch and features perfect, bouncing direction from Donnell, as well as some clever lighting touches and to-die-for fashion. The fabulous fashion comes courtesy of Jennifer (Chiara Klein), a woman who ends up stalked after she breaks up with her boyfriend, Matthew (Tyler Dennis). Klein handles her role with the appropriate amount of disdain and fear, though the script focuses largely on Matthew’s experience. As he becomes increasingly self destructive and increasingly focused on measuring everything precisely, the writing reveals that not everything can be understood through logic and that, sometimes, the best things come when we stop holding on so tightly. Like 2 Marys, this play handles some sensitive topics in some less-than-sensitive ways, but it serves its purpose of opening up tough conversations.

And, ultimately, that’s exactly what Feckers Theater Collective has set out to do: create much-needed dialogue. Its concept of super-short, loosely interconnected plays, is also an incredibly fun one. With attention spans dwindling and a general lack of frequent, non-musical stage plays, the Triangle could certainly use more productions like this one. So, bravo to a new theater collective. We can’t wait to see what they do next!

-Susie Potter