1 Photo
Center Stage at the Southampton Cultural Center is heating up this winter season with Neil LaBute’s carnal comedy “The Money Shot.”
This misanthropic satire delves into the private lives of desperate Hollywood actors who will do whatever it takes to achieve higher fame—even when it means pushing their morals and principles aside to take on salacious acting roles.
The play, opening Thursday, January 19, features Mr. LaBute’s signature cynical style, seen in his lauded play-turned-film “In the Company of Men,” but this play stands out from his dozens of works because he bills it as his first comedy.
“This show is not something we normally do, but I think there’s something for everyone in this show,” director Joan Lyons said. “It’s a chance to see LaBute’s first comedy, which is in itself very interesting.”
“The Money Shot” premiered in Manhattan’s Lucille Lortel Theatre in 2014, and it garnered enough attention and success to inspire Center Stage to bring it out east. In the New York Times’ review of the off-Broadway debut, critic Ben Brantley wrote, “There’s a certain novelty in the high raunch factor here, which goes places that even HBO normally fears to tread.”
Now, the play will make its first appearance on Long Island with three weeks of performances at the Southampton Cultural Center.
This type of play deviates from Center Stage’s usual, more sophisticated shows. Its provocative nature, along with its comedic storyline and dialogue, invites a different audience through the doors of the cultural center. It’s quite clear what the audience should expect—the promotional poster shows a close up of a man’s lips sensually kissing a woman’s chin.
Ms. Lyons said Center Stage is making an effort to present something fresh and exciting that will diversify the crowd.
“We had worked on ‘The Money Shot’ in an acting workshop last winter and all of the actors read it and loved it and said, ‘Why aren’t we doing something like this? Why aren’t we doing something different, something edgy, something that the actors and directors can sink their teeth into, instead of the usual stuff that we put up?’” she explained.
East End performers Bonnie Grice, Joseph Marshall, Kristin Whiting and Tamara Froebel Salkin play the four showbiz-crazed actors. This quartet had never worked together in the past, but their on-stage chemistry during auditions convinced Ms. Lyons that they were perfect for the intimate roles.
Ms. Lyons is making her solo directorial debut with this play, after being involved with Center Stage for about five seasons and running her own theater company for eight years prior. She said that in her time working on the East End, she has either directed or acted onstage with each of the play’s cast members, with the exception of Ms. Salkin.
“She came to the audition and she just impressed me,” Ms. Lyons said of Ms. Salkin. “One was her flexibility and the ease of directing her. She just really hit it off so well with Joe Marshall in the audition process. I thought to myself, ‘This is really great chemistry; I have to work with her.’”
Since Ms. Lyons now assumes a bigger directorial role, she admitted to initially feeling nervous, but explained how the talented cast made her feel comfortable.
“I was very nervous, but as soon as I started rehearsing with the cast, which was a phenomenal cast, by the way—I could not have chosen a better cast—they made it so easy for me,” she revealed. “They’re so very good at what they do; they take direction very easily.”
The cast has been rehearsing since November to bring high energy to Southampton and allow locals to escape the bleak, wintry weather for a night of fiery lust and laughs.
“I think anybody who has an open mind is going to enjoy it—just seeing something a little bit different,” Ms. Lyons said.
“The Money Shot” will be performed at Southampton Cultural Center, 25 Pond Lane, Southampton Village, from January 19 through February 5. Showtimes are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for general admission and $12 for students under 21 with ID. To purchase, call 631-287-4377 or visit scc-arts.org. The show is not recommended for children under 17.
on Jan 13, 2017