Stage West latest play, THE ALIENS, runs through June 5.
Described by Stage West as:
“Looking at the sun helps you sneeze.” Just a typical piece of life-advice from KJ, one of a pair of disaffected yet engaging slackers we meet in Annie Baker’s gentle, touching, and funny Obie Award winner The Aliens, beginning a 5-week run on Thursday, May 4 at Stage West.
KJ and Jasper have been hanging out in the employee break area behind a Vermont coffee shop for ages-it’s where they discuss music, failed relationships, Bukowski, and, well…life. Then their territory is invaded one day by Evan, an awkward seventeen-year-old new employee of the coffee shop, who has been sent to take out the trash and run off the unwelcome habitués. He’s too unsure of himself to muster the authority to send them away, so they remain, and he retreats. But gradually, as he continues to pass through their refuge, a relationship begins to develop, and KJ and Jasper start to include him in their boys’ club, passing along nuggets of wisdom. It’s an unlikely friendship, but it works, as these three misfits find meaning in each other and in art. And in the end, the lives of all three are changed. Audiences are sure to be charmed by this humorous and touching play about what it takes to grow up.
Stage West Theatre
Friday, May 5 through June 5 | 7:30
The Aliens will be directed by Dana Schultes, who most recently directed our production of Ann. KJ will be played by Jake Buchanan*, last seen at Stage West as Mike in Wait Until Dark. Making their Stage West debuts will be Joey Folsom*, who appeared as Jesus in Theatre 3’s production of Cotton Patch Gospel, as Jasper, and Parker Gray, seen as Hugo Schmidt in Kitchen Dog’s Feathers and Teeth, as Evan.
*SPECIAL NOTE:
Beginning on the second weekend of the run, actors Jake Buchanan and Joey Folsom will trade off roles. Thursdays and Saturdays will feature “A” casting with Buchanan as KJ and Folsom as Jasper. Fridays and Sundays will feature the “B” casting with Buchanan as Jasper and Folsom as KJ. Parker Gray is playing Evan throughout. This arrangement lends itself to very different performances, including different takes on music performed in the show. Both casting options will remain relevant and polished. Patrons opting to see both performances will find two very different shows with the same fantastic script.
Thursday evenings 7:30PM
Friday & Saturday evenings 8:00 PM
Sunday matinees 3:00 PM
Regular tickets:
$35 Fri and Sat nights (Seniors 65+ and members of the military $29)
$31 Thurs nights and Sun matinees (Seniors 65+ and members of the military $25)
Students/Under 30s $17
Stage West 821 W. Vickery Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76104 | Metro (817) 784-9378 (STG-WEST)