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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. The Scenarios
The action takes place in a police department's training room; clues suggest that it takes place in New York City, although that's never stated explicitly. In this grim (if clean) institutional setting of cinderblock walls and high windows (designed by Afsoon Pajoufar), a police officer is in the midst of a standoff with an emotionally unsteady member of the public. Soon the situation is clarified: two officers (Joel Ashur and Keeley Miller) are undergoing a training exercise with the help of two actors (Sarin Monae West and Joey Collins), overseen by a program administrator (Alyssa Keegan). Director Tiffany Nichole Greene keeps the pacing tight in this 90-minute production, emphasizing the ambiguity of a situation regarding the nature of "acting" in life-and-death situations. While the police know they need training to understand how to de-escalate emotions in a confrontation with a possibly dangerous or disruptive person, they question the reality of this kind of training. Keegan, who plays the largely unflappable head of the training program, seems primarily interested in getting a long-term police contract out of these sessions. Of course, the tension is not limited to the cops and their concerns. Sasha and Charlie recognize Angie from a horror movie they saw on cable. Ned, who's been a stage actor for decades but still has to keep his waiter job to survive, thinks she's taking the police gig away from an actor who really needs the work. The five actors perform as a tight ensemble, but West's character gets the broadest emotional arc and seizes the attention whenever she is in the spotlight. Part of the fascination of this play is that both the characters and the audience are likely to feel disoriented at times. The Scenarios runs through April 6, 2025, at Studio Theatre, Mead Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW, Washington DC. For tickets and information, please call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org. By Matthew Capodicasa Cast: |
