Not just three short plays, but a wildly theaterical experience about falling in love in hell.

In its first play, a young girl’s love for her grandfather drives her to follow him to the underworld. The second play examines the power of carnal love and for all sports lovers, St. Nolan Ryan, patron saint of strike-you-out appears in the third play.

Director’s Notes
Beginner is a theatrical event. These are a few notes that might aid the access of the spectator/participant.

1. The plays are largely non-realistic. They are a mythology of modern and ancient origins. Mythology is something that never happened but is always happening.

2. The plays were written after a series of road trips through Texas. Many of the images were inspired by events and people that we met. Erik traveled with many different ensemble members and a few guests on two different journeys. One to the Hill Country of Central Texas and one to the Border and the Gulf.

3. The plays are produced in a Big Cheap Theatre aesthetic. We tried to strip away some of the ornate trappings of theatre to tell the story in terms of our own lives. We looked for things that were in our grasp – the artifacts of everyday existence.

4. “Be not afraid”*. There are many inexplicable phenomenon in these plays. Release rational thought and the journey is much smoother.

A play of this scale is measured partly by all the people who participated in its development. Many of the actors on stage participated in the Road Trips, but there are several folks I wanted to thank for helping to shape the play: Kelly Cotton – a brave and excellent traveling companion, Alison Narver – a Seattle native who was transfixed by the Alamo, Don Howell – the consummate host and tour captain, Karen Kuyendall – our gracious guide of the Border regions and Keith Buresh – who executed an impromptu lighting design in the valley.

Of special note are our fellow ensemble members who could not be with us in the production but contributed mightily to its development: Bruce DuBose who drove the Jeep to safety as he was challenged by a large buck…Ivan Klousia – our special attaché in Austin…Ted Davey – who lyrical voice keeps us aspiring for music on another plane…and my artistic partner, Katherine Owens – for giving me courage to enter the darkness in order to find light.