Rogue Machine presents A Great Wilderness, written by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Elina de Santos.
Walt (John Perrin Flynn) has spent his life in a retreat in the wilderness, counseling young men who are sent to his retreat to get cured of their homosexuality. The idea is that through a faith-based approach—prayers, Bible readings, and counseling—these men will change and go back to a heterosexual lifestyle. Walt is getting old with early signs of dementia or Alzheimer’s and his ex-wife Abby (Rachel Sorsa), concern about his well-being, wants to send him to Shady Gardens, a retirement home. When Abby and her other ex-husband, Tim (Tony Pasqualini) come to the retreat to visit, they found out that Walt has taken one last youngster, Daniel (Jeffrey Delfin), for his gay conversion therapy. Daniel, however, decides to go out for a walk by himself and goes missing.
Tim, who used to be a counselor in the retreat, goes out to look for Daniel. As time goes by, Walt calls Janet (Tania Verafield), a park ranger, to help in the search. Eventually, Eunice (Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield, Rapunzel Alone), Daniel’s mom, is notified of the situation. When she arrives, she feels guilty for sending Daniel to the retreat. Janet organizes a group of people to extend the search. A helicopter is added to the search mission. Hours pass and still no news of Daniel. A fire breaks out in the forest and the drama intensifies as Janet finds Daniel’s jacket with blood stains.
Playwright Samuel D. Hunter shows the gay conversion therapy from the eyes of a Christian group that believes in the effectiveness of such practice. But once the characters reveal their struggles and past experiences, the effects of trying to change someone’s attraction to their own sex become more disturbing and less convincing. The play does not try to tell who’s right or wrong, that’s up to the audience, but the facts are laid out for the pendulum to go either way and not to hyperfocus on just one side of the story. The sincerity and the tragic consequences of conservative beliefs that make up a portion of the cultural and religious fabric of America are explored in this story and are perfectly reflected on Walt’s own existential crisis.
Director Elina de Santos‘ interpretation of Walt and Tim’s relationship can make an interesting conversation. Tim is one of the founders of the retreat and is also Abby’s ex-husband. Walt was also married to Abby at one point. Walt and Tim being both counselors of conversion therapy opens up a series of questions that make this play even more intriguing.
Set Designer Bruce Goodrich, Sound Designer Chris Moscatiello, and Lighting Designer Vicki J. Scott do an excellent job recreating the retreat and the ambiance; the set is full of details and the background sounds of the forest make the story come closer to the audience.
A Great Wilderness is an accurate reflection of the complexities faced by conservative America, where the interpretation of Christian values might offer more questions that answers.
A Great Wilderness
Written by Samuel D. Hunter. Directed by Elina de Santos. Cast: Jeffrey Delfin, John Perrin Flynn, Tony Pasqualini, Jacquelin Lorraine Schofield, Rachel Sorsa, and Tania Verafield. Creative team: Bruce Goodrich (Set Design), Chris Moscatiello (Sound Design), Elizabeth A. Cox (Costume Design), Vicki J. Scott (Lighting Design), Anna Khaja (Shady Gardens Spokesperson/Voice). Produced by: Guillermo Cienfuegos, and Rebecca Larsen (A Rogue Machine Production).
ROGUE MACHINE (in the Matrix Theatre)
7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Opening 8pm on Saturday, September 24
Schedule: 8pm Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays; 3pm Sundays
Added performance on Thursday, October 20
(No performance October 10)
Closing: October 31, 2022
Tickets: roguemachinetheatre
