As part of the initial lineup of the Hollywood Independent Theater Festival (HITFEST), Oh, Sally Productions presented Dream Big. Written by Elizabeth J. Musgrave. Directed by John Coppola. Produced by Frank Forte.
Rumor has it that American Gigolo and Midnight Cowboy had a baby. Its name? Dream Big. But the story doesn’t unfold in Los Angeles or New York, rather, it all happens in Music City, the one and only Nashville, Tennessee. Chasing his dream of becoming a country music star, Ryan (Garrett Louis) takes a job as a male escort. The only problem is that he is broke, his car is acting up, his angry roadies Slade (Michael Moret) and Troy (Andres Rey Solorzano) are coming after him, and his ex is demanding child support money for their 5 or 6-year-old son—Ryan can’t remember his exact age.
Meanwhile, Laura (Mandy Denaux), a lonely middle-aged woman, is in her apartment, packing and giving her properties away. When her sister Courtney (Laura Marlowe) comes to visit, she thinks that Laura is moving to another place, unaware of her real intentions. Courtney encourages Laura to have some fun and get a date. After thinking about it, Laura decides to give it a try. She calls an escort. Not exactly what she expects, Ryan is the cowboy-gigolo hybrid that comes to fulfill her ultimate fantasy, as disturbing as it might be.
The visit turns into a long night, where past experiences reveal the awkwardness of their personalities and the dreams they’re chasing. Laura’s exposition reveals the buildup of emotional pain as a result of negative past experiences that have led her to a sad and lonely existence. In the case of Ryan, his self-esteem motivates him to keep dreaming of bigger things, even if he has to resort to pulling tricks to survive and his dream seems more like an unattainable horizon. Their ultimate goals seem too opposite from each other, and yet, the two souls meet, as if destiny had a plan for an everlasting connection.
What seems just like a comedy, turns into a revelation of mental health issues and loneliness that take a tremendous toll on Laura, stressing the importance of looking for early signs of trouble. Elizabeth Musgrave‘s script blends comedy and conflict to deliver a play that is highly entertaining. The characters have depth that delve into the dreams of many, but also into the issues of many more. The direction by John Coppola unifies the main topics of the script, translating effectively the chimeras and afflictions of the characters, engaging the audience to get emotionally invested in the story.
Dream Big
The Hudson Theatres
6539 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, 90038
Presented on 26 September 2023. Stay tuned for more upcoming dates.
Link to other HITFEST productions: https://hitfest.stagey.net/
Written by Elizabeth Musgrave. Directed by John Coppola. Produced by Frank Forte. Cast: Mandy Denaux, Garrett Louis, Laura Marlowe, Michael Moret, and Andres Rey Solorzano. Creative team: Melissa Dunkelberger (Production Designer), Pam Noles (Technical Director).
