By Shari Barrett
Ruskin Group Theatre is presenting Jon Robin Baitz’s play The Substance of Fire, expertly directed by Mike Reilly. It centers around Isaac (stunningly performed by Rob Morrow), a Holocaust survivor who arrived in New York City as an orphan and went on to reinvent himself, eventually building a thriving publishing empire. Known for championing passionate authors who write about subjects which to speak to the fire in their souls, his life’s work is now facing financial upheaval. And as his children push for a commercial hit to save the company, Isaac’s unwavering dedication to a controversial project tests his family bonds and legacy. Will he stand by his convictions, or will the lure of commercial success prevail? And what decision-making power do his three children have as stockholders in the family’s business? And are they ready to usurp power and step into their father’s shoes?
Act 1 centers around Issac meeting with his grown children to discuss the fate of the company, now facing bankruptcy due to Issac’s reckless spending while publishing books of little interest to the public whose desire for non-fiction is waning in the face of action movies and sex-filled romance novels. Son Matthew (Barrett Lewis), a Northeast college professor, supports his father emotionally but sees the folly of his ways; son Aaron (Emmitt Butler who reminds me of a young and hungry Leonardo DiCaprio) is an accountant and partner in the family business but, after keeping the books, worries about his father’s mental capacity to stay in charge; and daughter Sarah (Fiona Dorn), an actress who does not understand what the big deal is about books and just wants the family to learn to respect each other for their choices. But a decision she makes at the end of the act challenges both the family and the business to fight for survival.
Act 2 takes place three and a half years later when Matthew visits his father, now out of the publishing business and losing his mental capacity to focus on anything other than subjects which fire his intellect. Matthew is there to prepare his father for a visit from Marge Hackett (Marcia Cross), a social worker sent at Aaron’s request to evaluate Issac’s mental stability, with the goal to completely sever ties between the two, both professionally and personally. Cross and Morrow are sublime together during this cat-and- mouse push me-pull you scene, which I guarantee will leave you wondering if Issac really is losing his mind or just playing a game with Marge to distract her from completing the evaluation. They fight, flirt, share memories, Issac’s favorite books and items from his portfolio, including a postcard with a watercolor painted by a young Adolf Hitler. But ultimately after Marge leaves, Issac makes a decision involving fire that somewhat confused me. Why would he do that to his most cherished possession?
Kudos to Ryan Wilson for his dual location, movable scenic design that morphs from the family’s business office overlooking a New York summer scene into a wintery one in Issac’s apartment complete with snow falling at the window. Michael Mullen perfectly matched costumes to each character based on their employment status, with Sarah decked out in Boho style, Matthew in what Issac calls “lumberjack” wear, and accountant Aason in a finely cut business suit to match his family’s style at the office. And in Act 2, when Marcia Cross walked in from the cold to visit Issac and shook snow off her stylish outer wear, and Issac donned a very expensive winter coat to walk out at the end of the play, I felt a chill just thinking about walking into that kind of chilly weather! Lighting and sound designer Edward Salas added touches of magic to not only the set but to the emotional impact of every scene.
The Substance of Fire continues at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. on Sundays through September 1 at the Ruskin Group Theatre, 3000 Airport Avenue (within the Santa Moncia Airport), Santa Monica 90405. Tickets are $25 – $40 and can be purchased in advance by calling (310) 397-3244 or at www.ruskingrouptheatre.com Order in advance since performances do sell out. Free onsite parking.
Culver City Public Theatre’s 2024 Summer Season runs Saturdays and Sundays through August 4 with outdoor seating on the grass in Dr. Paul Carlsen Memorial Park, 10400 Braddock Drive (at Motor Ave.), Culver City 90232. Bring towels, beach mats, or low-level chairs, and picnics to enjoy! Snacks, drinks, and popcorn are available for purchase. Look for the outdoor stage set up near the corner of Motor and Park Ave.
The two plays being presented this summer include their Childrens’ Popcorn Theatre production of Gideon and the Blundersnorp, a family-friendly adventure musical by Michael Gordon Shapiro, directed by Averi Quinn Yorek, which was a Hollywood Fringe Festival hit. Performances take place at 12 noon, followed at 2:30 p.m. by CCPT’s Mainstage Show The Front Page by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, directed by Trace Oakley. This classic comedy was the basis for the hit film, His Girl Friday.
Free admission for all. Just stop by and join in the fun! For more information visit https://www.ccpt.org/ or send an email to CulverCityPublicTheatre@gmail.com. Free parking on residential streets.
Over the past 40 years, The Actors’ Gang has performed for audiences in Los Angeles and 40 U.S. States, as well as worldwide on five continents. Their annual gift to local families this Summer is free performances of a new Shakespeare production adapted for children of all ages called The Comedy of Arrs written by Rynn Vogel and directed by Adam J. Jefferis. It combines a beloved Shakespeare comedy with swashbuckling pirates, parrots, and mermaids after a shipwreck reunites an estranged family, offering some valuable lessons about patience, communication and not judging a parrot by its feathers.
Shows take place every Saturday and Sunday through August 25 at 11 a.m. with a run time of 45 minutes without an intermission in Downtown Culver City at Media Park, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City 90232, which is adjacent to The Actors’ Gang Theater. Admission is free but reservations are highly encouraged by phone (310) 838-4254 or online at theactorsgang.com. Bring blankets, low beach chairs, and water. Street metered parking or in city pay lots available, or ride bikes to the park location.
