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This Cadence production of True West by Sam Shepard began some five years ago at the dawn of COVID. Well, dawn turned to day and we were shut down by high noon. Lots of changes take place over five years, but here we are with the team pretty much intact and a potent hankering to tell a desert tale. 

True West is the only play of Shepard’s he said he wouldn’t tinker with, and for good reason. It is taught, explosive, funny, scary and finally, very human. Of course, you have to have the cast to do it justice, and we have that in spades. Because of the particular talents of Landon and Stevie, we proudly add our production to what I call, the “True West Ring of Honor” - meaning those productions where the actors playing Lee and Austin switch roles throughout the run. This is crazy difficult, and wonderfully exciting. If possible, I encourage all who see this production to see the actors in both parts. You won’t be disappointed!

Fun fact:

In Shepard’s recent biography, “True West”, he talks about how this play came to be. He was taking care of his mother’s house in Pasadena while she was on vacation in Alaska and wanted to explore his own dual nature as a man, riding the razors’ edge between the conventional and the wild. Shepard wrote the entire play there and then. And that is where the play is set. Strange, but true!

Of course, family is a running theme in many of Shepard’s plays including Fool for Love, Buried Child and True West. Clearly, he had some things to work out, but don’t most of us? My hope is that your experience with our production will leave you laughing, screaming, crying and reflecting on what “family” means in your world, and the choices we all confront along the family journey.

Finally, I want to say how nice it is to be back in the space that Carol built, and working on the stage that is named for her. Carol Piersol was a cherished friend, colleague and collaborator who supported my directing work since I returned to Richmond in 2005. I will always be grateful for our time together, and for her contributions to Richmond theatre. This one’s for you, Carol!