Arts Planner: 5 questions with Trustus Theatre’s ‘The Flick’ director
“The Flick”
The latest play at Trustus Theatre is “The Flick,” a Pulitzer-winning play about three underpaid employees working at a run-down movie theater in Massachusetts. The small cast is Ben Blazer, Christine Hellman, Kendrick Marion and Colin Milligan. Opening night on Friday. Before the curtain goes up, we spoke with director Dewey Scott-Wiley about this comedy with a ton of heart.
Question: Who are the characters in “The Flick” and what are they like?
Scott-Wiley: Sam is 35, and he still lives with his parents. He has worked at the theater the longest. He used to be wilder in his younger days and was into heavy metal.
Rose, she’s in her late 20s. She went to college but is working at a movie theater. She has green hair and tattoos, and a very cool outward persona.
The newest employee is an African-American guy named Avery. He is super eager to work there because he’s a huge film aficionado.
Q: What kinds of problems are the characters dealing with?
SW: The movie theater is transitioning from a 35-millimeter film projector to digital. Avery really isn’t excited about going to digital. The whole reason he wanted to work there is because it played film. The other two don’t care as long as they have a job. That’s one of the big conflicts.
Q: In what ways is the play entertaining and thought-provoking?
SW: The really interesting thing about the play to me is that it shows you the lives of these characters in real time. They’re constantly coming in and sweeping and mopping, so the way the time unfolds in the play is more cinematic than theatrical. It’s menial labor in an artsy way.
It’s very funny, too. A lot of people list the play as a comedy, but it gives you a lot to think about. Is newer technology always better? Are your work friends really your friends, or just people you get along with because you have to? There are questions about the true meaning of connecting with people.
Q: What is it like directing this play?
SW: It’s always going to be daunting directing a Pulitzer-winning play. It won because it’s really well-crafted and it shows American life in an interesting way. I really had to trust the playwright and trust the things that she’s trying to convey, because I want to do it justice.
Q: What can audiences expect from this show?
SW: We’ve constructed a set that shows the interior of a movie theater on stage. So where the audience starts is where the screen would be.
I think they’ll see some recognizable characters. And I think they’ll see a real love for film, because the characters talk a lot about movies. Anyone who’s a movie buff will love ‘The Flick.’ It’s really human and realistic. They’re going to see a theatrical love letter to the cinema.
Opening night for “The Flick” is 8 p.m. Friday, May 20. The show runs through June 4. Tickets are $30 for adults, seniors and military and $25 for students with a current ID. www.trustus.org; (803) 254-9732.
OTHER ARTS EVENTS AROUND TOWN
The Spirit Within
CamdenART, an affiliate member of the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County (FAC), will open its spring show, “The Spirit Within.” The exhibition features 45 pieces of artwork in media including wood, clay, canvas and cast sculptures from Camden ART members.
The show opens Tuesday in the Bassett Gallery with a reception from 5:30-7 p.m. and runs through June 17. At 810 Lyttleton St., Camden. Free. www.fineartscenter.org
Art Museum Day
Join the Columbia Museum of Art on Wednesday for the seventh annual Art Museum Day. Check out the museum’s collection and “Spoken: African-American Art” for free.
11 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 1515 Main St. Free. www.columbiamuseum.org
Celebration of Dance
The University of South Carolina Dance Conservatory will present its annual spring concert, “Celebration of Dance,” at Drayton Hall Theatre. Performed include excerpts from Arthur Saint-Leon’s “Coppelia,” as well as Marius Petipa’s “Swan Lake” and “Sleeping Beauty.” The USC Junior Ballet will open the concert with a showcase of dance training,
6 p.m. Friday May 20 and 2 p.m. Saturday, May 21. Drayton Hall Theatre is at 1214 College St. $12. artsandsciences.sc.edu
This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 10:39 AM with the headline "Arts Planner: 5 questions with Trustus Theatre’s ‘The Flick’ director."