Elliott character back in second production - #lakewoodnews

While the regional premiere of "Water by the Spoonful" is second in the Elliott Stories by Quiara Alegria Hudes, it is a fully finished piece on its own.If the reader was able to meet ex-Marine Elliott in "A Soldier's Fugue" in the past season at Curious Theatre, he/she will remember more about his background and scarring from war experiences. But this character, based on someone in Hudes' Puerto Rican American (Philadephia) family, is into another set of stories in this Pulitzer Prize-winning (2012) play. An aspiring actor, Elliott (Thony Mena) is only able to find a job at Subway Sandwiches.He is haunted by an experience in Iraq and sees a ghost on occasion. He is supported by his cousin Yazmin (GerRee Hinshaw), an intellectual, an adjunct professor of music, in the process of divorce and also searching.Yaz's musical specialty is John Coltrane and his moody music is woven through the play, adding another layer of emotion.A major theme is addiction and we have Odessa (Gabriella Cavallero), a mother hen type, who also leads a chat room of addicts, all in financial straits, but in different situations -- and all seeking community of some kind. She goes by the name Haikumom and to some extent mothers Elliott.Others are Chutes and Ladders, an African-American middle-aged man (Abner Genece); Orangutan (a strong Jenna Moll Reyes), a Japanese-American who travels to Japan to seek her birth mother; and Fountainhead (William Hahn), a well-off white computer programmer who is out of work and addicted to crack -- and eventually finds redemption.Set in 2009, mostly in Philadephia, "Water by the Spoonful" includes six individuals, plus a ghost/professor/policeman played by Damon Guerrasio, on a cleverly thought-out stage. It represents three different worlds, we are told in program notes -- real, spiritual and virtual. Odessa's apartment is central, and on each side other characters function and interact with each other ...While it's not "happily ever after," these characters find human connection with others and the script is beautifully written, eloquent and graceful. It's a strong start for Curious' new season. We'll learn more about Elliott in February, when the third play, "The Happiest Song Plays Last," opens.If you go"Water by the Spoonful" plays through Oct. 15 at Curious Theatre, 1080 Acoma St., Denver. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: curioustheatre.org, 303-623-0524.

from Lakewood Sentinel - Latest Stories http://lakewoodsentinel.com/stories/Elliott-character-back-in-second-production,235071