Performance dates: February 14, 15, 16, 2002

Performance venue: Linesight Theatre

SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL

We'll always have a soft spot in our hearts for"Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll", as it was the debut production of Theatre On Consignment.

The theatrical venture began in fall 2001, when Becky Lathrop (co-star of Heaven Sucks, Keep Breathing, and The Putz) began working as gallery co-ordinator for Linesight, Inc., an Internet development and hosting firm in the Old Town district of Wichita. Linesight was hoping to use its extra space as a performing arts center, with art shows, concerts, and theatre events. Lathrop suggested forming a theatrical group (a pipe dream for several years within Films On Consignment) to peform less-produced plays, and we were off and running.

"Glengarry Glen Ross" was our first choice for debut production, but we quickly realized that it would be wiser to start with something smaller and less technically challenging. "Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll", then, was a natural choice, as it was a series of monologues with no set (and little in the way of props or costumes) required.

"Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll" was originally performed as a one-man show by author Eric Bogosian, The Obie-Award winning play was first presented in 1990 at the Orpheum Theater in New York, with author Bogosian performing all of the monologues. The play was published by Harper Collins and recorded for SBK records that same year. In 1991, a filmed performance of the production was released by Avenue Entertainment, directed by John McNaughton (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer).

In Theatre On Consignment's production, each of Bogosian's distinct characters was portrayed by a different actor. In "Grace of God", an aggressive panhandler (Bob Thomas) explains, in detail, exactly why he needs money. In "Benefit", a hypocritical antidrug-crusading English rock star (Mac Welch) explains his new life on a talk show. A future-shocked, paranoiac derelict (Nathan Boren) pontificates on the environment in "Dirt". "The Stud" (Earnest Roberson) reflects on his pathologically macho lifestyle. In "Stag", a party guy (Jason Crile) relates the tale of a bachelor party gone wrong. "Bottleman" introduces us to a mentally handicapped bottle collector (Lonny Quattlebaum). A doctor (Rebecca Lathrop) prescribes a medication with an alarming number of side effects in "Medicine". "Rock Law" is a few moments in the busy day of a wheeling and dealing multiphone-line-juggling executive (Jason Bailey). A troubled outsider (Brad Anderson) yearns for normalcy in "Dog Chameleon". And the "Artist" (Michael Carmody), peaceful and mellow, reflects on the sixties and how things have changed.

Bogosian's characters play out the battles of our day--consumerism, the environment, commercialism, sex, violence. "I write about those things I can't figure out," he says. "The monologues in Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll are my open meditation on the conflicts in my life... provocation in the guise of a good time."

Theatre On Consignment's production opened February 14, 2002, with sold-out houses for two of the three performances. Jason Bailey directed. Deborah Berry was costume designer and assistant director, David Bailey was acting coach, Matt Frank was stage manager and light board operator, and Charity Jeffries was sound board operator.