In A Garden Mesmerizes Audiences
On Friday night March 12, First Nights audience members applauded the cast of In a Garden after a riveting production of the Howard Korder world premiere.
During the stroll from SCR to Pinot Provence for the Cast Party, conversation centered on the cat-and-mouse game between the two main characters, cultural opposites, whose razor-sharp dialogue kept the audience enthralled. Everyone agreed that Mark Harelik and Matt Letscher excelled as Othman and Hackett, with Jarion Monroe (Najid) and Phillip Vaden (Prudhomme) delivering fine performances in the other two roles.
At Pinot Provence, First Nighters walked beneath an arch of draped linens in purple and green jewel tones—and past a life-sized faux camel—their first hint of a Middle Eastern theme, which continued in the musical sounds, décor and buffet menu.
Party-goers sipped wine and champagne and nibbled passed hors d’oeuvres, which included ground lamb meat balls with mint emulsion, truffle marianated tuna sashimi, and classic tomato bruschetta, as they awaited the artists and continued to discuss the play.
Soon Playwright Howard Korder, Director David Warren and the play’s designers arrived, followed by the four cast members, all of whom graciously accepted the First Nighters’ praise. During the evening, guests sipped Mint Blossoms, relaxed at cocktail tables or on cozy banquettes, or sampled the buffet menu of vegetable crudites, homemade hummus with pita points, tabuleh cous cous, chick kabob and flank steak and shrimp skewers, all prepared Middle Eastern style.
As the party wound down around midnight, everyone agreed that Howard Korder, who recently won the Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award with In a Garden, had another hit on his hands and SCR supporters had another first to remember for a long time to come—being there on an auspicious night to see the world premiere of a play by one of America’s major writers.
Summing up the evening’s experience, Marilyn Sutton, Honorary Producer with her husband Tom, recalled, “When Tom and I first heard the play read at PPF, we were hooked. The writing was so tight we found ourselves hanging on every word, waiting for the next and always being surprised. Tonight brings together extraordinary talent—playwright, director, cast, designers—in a fresh orchestration that fits perfectly in the intimate space of the Argyros Stage. This world premiere is a gift to theatre.”
