Monsters of the American Cinema at Different Strokes!

Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective’s production of Monsters of the American Cinema is emblematic of the pros and cons inherent in many two-handers.

Written by Christian St. Croix, and directed by Stephanie Hickling Beckman and assistant director Maria Young, the dramedy foremost serves as a showcase for actors Bjorn Goller and Aidan Short as widower Remy and his 16-year-old stepson, Pup.

Within their trailer next to the drive-in movie theater that they run outside San Diego, thought-provoking topics are raised over the course of a fateful 24 hours, particularly regarding sexuality and race. The son of two gay men who thought they’d raised him right, Pup nevertheless proves susceptible to the prejudices of youth, and the ways that his backwards thinking becomes known makes for tense, fascinating theater.

Such ignorance is especially bewildering with a parental figure as charming as Remy. From his opening monologue, Goller exudes charisma and sustains it even when the variety of pains and frustrations his character is masking become clear. Though he never thought he’d be raising a kid and running a business by himself, he’s doing the best he can and, while Pup’s well-being is his priority, his own needs gradually impact the family’s dynamic.

But as mice and men well know, best laid plans only work out so well, and Pup’s behavior is well within the realm of pubescent possibility. A high schooler himself, Short perfectly captures the nervous energy of a teen, stumbling over his words at the start of practically every sentence as he peers out from a mop of blond hair that frequently obscures his eyes.

He and Goller are electric together, and each of their shared scenes are exchanges to cherish, particularly whenever they play the titular movie trivia game, during which it’s especially evident that their shared love of classic cinema binds them on multiple levels.

It’s in the connective tissue, however, where Monsters of the American Cinema is more of a mixed bag. In the best of these moments, St. Croix gives each character insightful monologues — asides that reveal their shared and individual histories. During them, the directorial team (with help from lighting designers David Bortle and Carmen Friel, plus board operator Jim Abbott) bathes the actors with individual spotlights while they share these personal anecdotes; meanwhile, the other actor goes about his business as if mute, waiting for the illumination to grant him the ability to speak.

Some of these soul-baring moments verge on shaggy and overly raw, and temporarily throw the audience into disconnect when they enter what appears to be Pup’s dreamscape, where the continued grappling with his father’s death and the more recent woes plaguing his psyche are manifest in hit-or-miss fashion. Pup’s awakening from these nightmares likewise prove challenging, even with multiple prior allusions to the kid’s troubles with the dark.

Fortunately, St. Croix ultimately brings the narrative back to its primary strength: the chemistry-rich relationship between the two men — within a discernible reality. The return to this asset sends the play out on a high note and reminds attendees of the appeal of well-written two-handers — namely the distinct layered intensity the duo is able to cultivate that would be far more difficult to foster within a larger ensemble.

Monsters of the American Cinema runs through June 26. DIfferent Strokes! Performing Arts Collective is housed in the Tina McGuire Theatre within Asheville’s Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. Visit differentstrokespac.org for tickets and details.

(Photo: Carol Spags Photography)