The cast and crew of “The Helpless Director Zone” included (front row, l-r) Curt Dodges as The Host, stage manager Cara Brzozowski, sound operator Amber Steffey, (back row, l-r) Keith Mervine as The Director and writer-director Rick Thompson.
New Direction Community Theater took home two big prizes recently at the Watermelon One-Act Play Festival, held June 6-7 at Three Notch Theatre in Lexington Park.
NDCT, which performs its shows at the Long Beach Community Center in St. Leonard, received the Audience Choice Award for its production of “The Helpless Director Zone,” written and directed by Prince Frederick resident Rick Thompson. It was voted by audience members who saw all four shows that were selected in the previous day’s preliminary round.
Lusby resident Keith Mervine took the acting award for his performance as the director who sees just about everything go wrong in his show “onstage,” but is helpless to do anything about it. Mervine was praised by all three judges, who noted the challenge he had in performing the role essentially in pantomime. His “lines” were the character’s thoughts, pre-recorded by Mervine and played over the theater’s sound system.
“I don’t know manyother actors in Southern Maryland who could have done this,” said one judge during the adjudication that followed Saturday’s preliminary round performance. Said another, “You really gave yourself to the character. I loved that throughout the piece you seemed to come apart at the seams.” The third stated, “Bravo! I am so impressed by the focus and dedicated precision of your acting.”
California residentCurt Dodges, who played the Rod Serling-like host that opened and closed the show, drew favorable comment as well. “Great volume and intensity — a nice characterization,” said one judge, with another adding, “He was a great pseudo-Rod Serling.”
The judges also had praise for Thompson’s direction and script, noting the difficulty involved in such a show. “I wondered how this was going to work,” said one judge, “but you pulled it off.” Said another, “I applaud the vision of staging. A smart synthesis or elements and use of various audio themes. It was clear this was an audience favorite.”
Thompson had high praise for Mervine. “Except for the Serling-type character who opened and closed the piece, Keith was a one-man show. It rose or fell with him, and he made it rise higher than even I thought it could,” said Thompson.
He also praised the contributions of Dodges, noting that “he added more characterization than I thought was there.” In both Mervine’s and Dodges’ case, he pointed out, “Bringing those added elements of character is the essence of what good actors do, and this show was fortunate to have a pair of very good actors.”
Stage Manager Cara Brzozowski, of Lexington Park, kept the show moving smoothly and the myriad light and sound cues happening when they should, Thompson stated, and Mechanicsville resident Amber Steffey’s work as sound operator was, in his words, “spot on.”
NDCT’s next full production will be Greater Tuna, which will be presented this Fall at the Long Beach Community Center, with auditions set for July 7, 8 and 11. For more information on auditions, contact director DiDi Olney at didi.olney@gmail.com.
For more information or to become involved in New Direction Community Theater, visit nttp://ndct.org and click on “volunteer.”
