Geoffrey Pingree and Jennifer Jones are the featured performers in Avenue Stage’s production of Arthur Miller’s “I Can’t Remember Anything.”Sexy young performers may dominate the film industry, but a Dorchester acting company is proving once again that senior thespians, with their subtlety and wisdom, can draw audiences to live stage shows.
Tomorrow, the Dot-based Avenue Stage Company will present the first of its four performances of the Arthur Miller one-act “I Can’t Remember Anything (ICRA),” a play about memory and aging in a dinner theatre format at the ensemble’s home venue, the Dot 2 Dot Café. The show runs April 1, 2, 7, and 8 (Friday and Saturday evenings.)
Miller is revered as the author of two of the best-known dramas of the past century: “Death of a Salesman” and “The Crucible.” “ICRA,” though, was written in the twilight of his career, in 1987. The production is directed by Dorchester resident and Avenue Stage co-founder Michael O’Halloran and stars company members Jennifer Jones and Geoffrey Pingree
This one-act takes place in the sparsely furnished cottage of Leo, a retired engineer and unrepentant communist living out his years in a small town in Connecticut. His neighbor Leonora, the widow of his best friend and professional partner, visits him each night for dinner and companionship. After ten years, this relationship has begun to wear on Leo, and he has some unpleasant truths to share with his nightly guest.
“ICRA,” with all the classic Miller trademarks – sparkling dialogue, deep insights about relationships, and an unflinching look at the joy and sorrow of the human condition – affords great roles for veteran actors and resonant themes for golden-age playgoers.
O’Halloran explains that the feedback from Dot audiences helps the company select what shows to do each year: “We try to produce plays that are enjoyable for our audience and also that fit well with our venue and our company of actors. We’ve had a lot of repeat customers, and they are vocal about what they like, which is helpful. A lot of people enjoy a comedy, but are open to something more serious if it is done well. In a way, our short format is very inviting – someone who is curious about Arthur Miller but might not want to jump into a 2+ hour production of “All My Sons” could be more willing to check out a shorter piece.”
Jones, the other Avenue Stage co-founder, has strong views on the lack of roles for senior actors and of productions that cater to senior playgoers. “There isn’t much work for senior actors at all, so you have to create your own work,” she says. “But you can see that audiences appreciate seeing older characters on stage. Audiences of all ages want to see reality on the stage – they like to see their own lives reflected, their own problems and joys and worries. You can’t just cut out a whole segment of society because they’re not considered ‘young and attractive.’ You need the whole picture of life.”
“ICRA” is the fourth production of Avenue Stage, whose mission is to produce short works in a dinner theater/café setting for the Dorchester audience. Dot 2 Dot Café, 1739 Dorchester Avenue, is a small gourmet cafe where everything is made from scratch. Tickets are priced at $27, including a two-course dinner. Dinner seating is from 6:30 to 7 p.m, with the play beginning at 7:45. Tickets may be purchased online at avenuestage.org, or by calling Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006.
For menu choices for the dinner theatre package, prepared by the Cordon Bleu-trained chef, go to dot2dotcafe.com, where you can learn about the many other performances and meet-ups hosted there.
