Plant City Entertainment will present True West onstage during a limited two-weekend run this month. True West, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for drama in 1983, was written by American playwright Sam Shepard. Performances of this dark comedy play will take place at Plant City Entertainment’s theater, located at 101 N. Thomas St. in historic downtown Plant City.
Plant City Entertainment will present True West on Friday, November 11 and 18; Saturday, November 12 and 19; and Sunday, November 13 and 20. The Friday and Saturday shows will take place at 8 p.m. and the Sunday shows will be at 2 p.m.
True West is about the sibling rivalry between two estranged brothers who have reconnected. Keith Graham, who co-directs True West with April Golombeck and stars as Lee in the production, explained, “Two adult brothers, sons of a desert-dwelling alcoholic father, still trying to find their way. Austin the responsible Hollywood screenwriter against Lee the derelict, thieving drifter. Opposites attack when long-forgotten Lee suddenly appears and invades Austin’s movie deal, even trying to sell a story of his own — one Lee says is true, about the True West.”
Golombeck said, “This show is an actor’s dream. Meaty, emotional roles that take the actor and the audience on a rollercoaster ride. The show is for mature audiences due to language and content, but the story itself is relatable to many.”
True West features a veteran cast who have a local following and will not disappoint. The cast includes Vince Evangelista as Austin, Graham as Lee, Bob Whitmore as Saul, and Judy Heck Lowry as Mom.
Year after year, Plant City Entertainment excites audiences and wins awards for excellence. It has been pulling from their talented pool of both professional and nonprofessional actors, directors and crew since 1980. Assisted by Joshua Mange, Golombek and Graham have put one full year of preparation into this special presentation of unique and unforgettable theater in homage to the late Shepard, who passed in 2017.
True West has it all — coyotes, crickets and chaos. Audience members should saddle up for dysfunction and destruction in Shepard’s comic tragedy from American dream to nightmare.
For more information and to get tickets, please visit www.plantcityentertainment.com.
