Leonard (Charles Shaw Robinson) comes to agreement with Martin (James Wagner). Photo by Jessica Palopoli.
Seminar by Theresa Rebeck and directed by Amy Glazer is a comedy about four aspiring novelists who are paying $500 a week to take a writing seminar with a famous international author. According to Artistic Director, Bill English, “the word ‘seminar’ suggests a classroom–supposedly an environment that is structured to be a safe place to learn–but in Theresa Rebeck’s world, Seminar is far from safe.”
Set in present day New York City, Seminar follows Kate (Lauren English) who overcompensates trying to prove her writing abilities and Martin (James Wagner) who is struggling financially and afraid to show anyone his work. Douglas (Patrick Russell) is the nephew of a famous playwright from Harvard. He is a good writer but a bit of a “name dropper.” Izzy (Natalie Mitchell) writes well from the start. She figures at the center of the romantic conflict within the group. Their professor, Leonard (Charlie Shaw Robinson)’s career as a writer has been legendary. Seminar takes place in Kate’s Upper West Side apartment handsomely designed by Bill English. The play captures aspects of their lives including their writing, romance, conflict and the future.
This play is more driven by characters than by plot, but Seminar is full of satire and quite entertaining. Leonard, the Professor is an amazing role for Charles Shaw Robinson who brings out his character’s humanity in every moment.
Amy Glazer keeps the action moving at a crisp pace, which accentuates Rebeck’s comedy. The costume design by Abra Berman is at the same time imaginative and appropriate for the characters.
Seminar is a fascinating presentation of the truth about human dynamics and writers’ fragile egos. The play runs April 29-June 14, 2014 at the San Francisco Playhouse on the 2nd Floor in the Kensington Park Hotel at 450 Post Street (between Mason and Powell Streets), San Francisco.
Performances are held Tuesday-Thursday at 7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 3 p.m. and select Sundays (May 18, June 1 and June 8) at 2 p.m. For tickets call the box office at 415-677-9596 or go to www.sfplayhouse.org.
Coming up next (June 24-September 6, 2014) at SF Playhouse will be Into the Woods by James Lapine (book) and Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics). Susi Damilano directs.
Flora Lynn Isaacson
