(Above: Left to right: Connor French and Jasper L. Howard star in OCT’s production of Damascus; photo courtesy of Oregon Contemporary Theatre)
By Randi Bjornstad
The treatment of migrants, refugees, and non-white citizens in general seems to be dominating much of public discourse throughout the world these days, so it’s no wonder that playwrights and theaters also are turning their attention to the topic.
The Oregon Contemporary Theatre, known for its predilection for examining timely and sometimes controversial topics, is hosting the West Coast premiere of one such work, Damascus, by Bennett Fisher.
They call it a “thriller,” referring to a sudden social conspiracy between a Somali-American cab driver named Hassan and an American teenager named Lloyd, who finds himself stranded at the Minneapolis airport and needs to get to Chicago fast, to make a connection there.
Lloyd begs Hassan to take him in his taxi, but that means crossing state lines, which is against the rules. But against his better judgment and his own personal interests, Hassan decides to help. What results is an on-the-edge look at how we view each other through the lenses of social privilege, racial and ethnic paranoia, and how they lead us to treat each other.
Tara Wibrew, associate producer at OCT, directs the show, through which she intends to challenge the audience to “let go of ingrained cultural assumptions.”
Wibrew promises that people “will be on the edge of their seats” as they follow plot twists and surprises that make for “a finely tuned thriller.”
It’s a small cast, led by Portland actor Jasper L. Howard in the role of Hassan, paired with frequent OCT actor Connor French as Lloyd. They are joined by Donella-Elizabeth Alston, who also has acted with OCT in the past, and Lisa Roth in her debut performance with OCT.
Wibrew is assisted by Chelsey Megli. The technical crew includes sound by Taylor Freeman, lighting by Michael A. Peterson, scenic design by Michael Teague, and costumes by Kat Matthews. Rebecca Blanchard handles props, William Hulings choreographs movement, and Christle O’Neill is production stage manager.
The show runs 85 minutes without an intermission.
Fisher earned his master’s of fine arts in playwrighting in 2016 from the University of California, San Diego. His résumé is long, with productions of his plays on many stages throughout the country.
Critics have called Damascus a play to “buckle up for,” an “eye to unblinking eye” experience, and an exciting, thrilling journey that taps neatly into our current climate of prejudice, hatred and assumptions about race and ethnicity — a must-see.”
Damascus
When: 7:30 p.m. on March 29-30 and April 4-6 and 11-13; matinees at 2 p.m. on April 7 and 14
Where: Oregon Contemporary Theatre, 194 W. Broadway, Eugene
Tickets: $40 opening night includes wine, beer, dessert and a meet-and-greet with the cast, remaining performances cost $20, $30, or $40 with student tickets for $15 (except on opening night); available at the box office, 541-465-1506, or online at octheatre.org
