This October, Past August Productions, in collaboration with The Stage Austin, will current the native premiere of The Outsider, by Paul Slade Smith. Co-star and Past August president Jill Klopp Turner says the present is a political farce that’s probably not about politics. “It’s just like the present Veep on HBO,” she says. “The set is a political surroundings, but it surely has little or no to do with precise politics. In the end, it’s a character-driven comedy the place every character has their very own intense agenda and the hilarity that ensues as they every attempt to painstakingly accomplish it, and all of the roadblocks that they run into. And in the end, the present is actually heartfelt and delivers a common, stunning message on the finish.”
We dwell in an period that appears perpetually centered on politics, however Turner says the timing of this manufacturing wasn’t intentional. “It was form of unintended that we’re doing this political comedy proper earlier than an election,” she says. “However we determined, effectively, now’s pretty much as good a time as ever. And particularly for the reason that theme of the present does find yourself being so universally human. We thought, effectively, what a very good time to place that message out into the world – earlier than folks go to the polls.”
The story of The Outsider unfolds on the day a lieutenant governor assumes the function of governor following a scandal; Turner performs Rachel Parsons, a reporter attempting to uncover the reality behind the story and Patrick Wheeler performs Dave Riley, an in-over-his-head chief-of-staff attempting to carry issues collectively on this very tense day. “[Dave] has no employees, I’ve no teammates, the governor has no crew, we’re despatched into an empty workplace as a result of everybody needed to give up due to a scandal,” Wheeler says. “And, , hilarity ensues.”
Wheeler says that, whereas he doesn’t have a background in politics himself, he can simpler establish with the put-upon Riley. “Sure, I do know him very effectively, as a result of he cares for the person he works for immensely,” Wheeler says. “And there’s occasions the place he seems like his caretaker, and different occasions the place the person he works for can be his mentor. And I really feel like we’ve had relationships like that on a regular basis.”
“I actually tapped into Rachel’s inside dilemma,” Turner says of her Outsider character. “As a result of I’ve, really, many occasions been type of thrust into conditions the place I don’t know anybody and I’ve to determine every thing out.”
Turner says the primary enchantment of The Outsider for Past August Productions was within the characters. “There are seven characters within the present and every character does characterize a sure facet of the everyman, which is most of us,” Turner says. “A sure means that they’re feeling, or a sure means they’ve been handled, or how they’re treating others. You actually do discover a human connection to every of the characters, which was the primary factor that attracted us to the present.”
“What’s nice about this present,” Wheeler says, “is that it’s much less about politics… no particular references are made, we don’t discuss in regards to the completely different political races. No political agendas are ever introduced up. However it’s about politics a little bit bit in [the] sense [that] we type of begin to inform the viewers who belongs in workplace and who doesn’t. It’s executed very softly but it surely’s nonetheless stunning and poignant and I feel there’s a message. Between the laughs, there undoubtedly is a message that I consider. And I’m pleased with it.”
‘The Outsider’ runs October 1 – 16 at The Rosette Theater at the Baker Center
