The world premiere of The Pilot Who Crashed the Party is presented by Public Works Improvisational Theatre Foundation in association with Paul Sand Projects. Written and directed by Tony Award winning actor and Second City alum Paul Sand. Produced by Amanda Weier.
Sally (Jacqueline Wright) is celebrating her 50th birthday in her house up in the mountains in a stormy night when a small plane crashes into her house. The pilot (Sol Mason) manages to enter the house, but does not remember who he is, puzzling the party guests. The night then becomes a mystery when everyone tries to figure out the party crasher. The partygoers are Laura (Claudia Ferri), Ilo (Francis C. Edemobi), (Debra Lane), Daniel (Lee Boek), and the evening’s musicians (Yennie Lam on violin and Chris Rorrer on cello).
After consulting a medical book as a quick reference, the guests decide not to let the pilot sleep so he doesn’t fall into a coma. One by one, they take turns to keep him awake. They all seem to like the pilot, except Daniel, who thinks the pilot is an intruder with bad intentions. When it’s Sally’s turn to care for the pilot, things heat up and take a new direction.
Even though the play’s pacing in the first act feels a bit slow at times, it’s Jacqueline Wright’s sassy and hilarious performance that drives a great deal of the play’s action and comedy. Her voice and body language are a combination of classic Hollywood with femme fatale, a suitable complement to the mysterious feel of the play.
The second act is where the action really happens. Sally’s relationship with the mysterious pilot and the way Daniel snaps trigger the most memorable scenes of the play. The lighting and projections (lighting designer Azra King-Abadi, projection designer Fritz Davis) add striking elements to the action throughout the play. Paul Sand presents a story with overtones of mystery and passion with a sense of wonder. It’s up to the audience to deduce the ending.
The Pilot Who Crashed the Party
Broadwater Theatre Main Stage
6320 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
April 8 – May 7:
• Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 14, April 21, April 28, May 5
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 8 (Opening), April 15, April 22, April 29, May 6
• Sundays at 3 p.m.: April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7
Tickets: www.onstage411.com/Pilot
Written and Directed by Paul Sand. Starring Marcia Lynn Anthony, Lee Boek, Francis C. Edemobi, Claudia Ferri, Debra Lane, Sol Mason, Jacqueline Wright. Musicians: Yennie Lam (violin) and Chris Rorrer (cello). Produced by Amanda Weier. Presented by Public Works Improvisational Theatre Foundation in association with Paul Sand Projects. The creative team includes scenic designer Jeff G. Rack; costume designer Linda Muggeridge; lighting designer Azra King-Abadi; sound designer Shoshana Kuttner; and projection designer Fritz Davis. The assistant director is Alex Hogy, and the production stage manager is Anna Kupershmidt.
