The Shadowland Theatre
again sheds light

By JAMIE DYMOND

ELLENVILLE — As I sat in my seat at the Shadowland Theatre on opening night of their summer season, the lights darkened, the audience quieted and anticipation rose.

A cultural gem of the Catskills, The Shadowland Theatre, on Canal Street in Ellenville, opened its 16th season with a production of “Shedding Light,” by Rich Orloff. This world premiere, two-person play is the first of five scheduled productions for the season.

The comedy/drama, set during the winter solstice in an Upper West Side condo just nine days before the new millennium, opened to a well received audience. The use of lighting was dramatic, growing brighter and dimmer in accordance with the inner life of the two characters. Marcie, a lonely, high-strung divorcee with two grown daughters (played by Suzanne Toren) finds herself unexpectedly secluded with Ray, an African-American cable repair man who has come to her apartment to fix her television. As the evening wears on, a power outage occurs, and the two find themselves talking in the dark.

To the light of shimmering candles, Marcie continues to banter on nervously while Ray begins to break down her stereotypical conceptions with humor and an abiding faith in God. The conversation deepens as the two ponder why people act the way they do. Fear, loneliness, war and racism are touched upon and audience members are left to wrestle with their own preconceived notions and belief systems. There is a lot of humor in the play despite its serious topic, and the theatre was often filled with laughter.

The setting for the play—the night of the winter solstice—mirrors the insights arrived at and shared by Ray and Marcie, two people from very different worlds who learn to share each other’s light.

As a resident of the area, I was surprised that the only African-American in attendance was the one on stage. It seems a shame that a production like this played only to a white audience. To its credit, the Shadowland Theatre, with programs such as “Pay what you can” and “Free tickets for youth programs” does seem to be reaching out to diverse elements of the community.

The production was successful in teaching this viewer not to judge a book by its cover. Its message is that people matter; circumstances matter. For an entertaining and insightful evening, check out “Shedding Light” at the Shadowland theatre.

The play runs from May 25 – June 17. Upcoming performances include “Art” by Yasmina Reza, “Fuddy Meers” by David Lindsay-Abaire, “Book of Days” by Lanford Wilson and “Stop Kiss” by Diana Son. For tickets and more information, call 845/647-5511.