THE PLAY: This one-man show revolves around the disappearance of a daringly-expressive gay teen.

 

THE PRODUCTION: Jeffrey Cole is a talented actor who gets an opportunity to shine playing a variety of roles. There are some nuanced moments and clear differences among the characters, which provide entertaining creations and some humor (the teenage girl is the most well realized). Unfortunately, this more theatrical and less genuine work doesn’t provide the depth or insight of Lamarie Project. As a result, Cole never creates any real depth of emotion. Melissa Rayford’s direction is subtle. A stronger hand might have helped generate more empathy. The courtroom speech is especially lacking in emotion or power. The set is a stripped down version of its sister show, while Michael Jarett’s lights create spaces. Lucien Restivo’s sound helped set the environments. Running time: 1:20 (no intermission)

 

THE POINT: Jeffrey Cole does a commendable job at creating a variety of characters, but the ultimate impact of this tragic story is slight.

 

(3.5 / 5)

 

Running in tandem with The Laramie Project at Richmond Triangle Players thru 10/15