by Michael J. Solender
Coming soon: Carolina Actors Studio Theatre presents Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited in a powerful production aimed at raising awareness and sparking dialogue around suicide.
In June 2014, after 64 productions and eight years as a nonprofit, Carolina Actors Studio Theatre (CAST) went dark. Like many regional theater companies, it succumbed to high expenses and low revenue, a fate all too familiar in Charlotte’s arts scene.
Slated for production that season was Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited, his second play published in 2006. Though the closure halted the show, Charlotte audiences now have a renewed chance to see it this September, courtesy of the newly reconstituted CAST.
The play directly confronts the often-taboo topics of mental health and suicide. Unfiltered in its dialogue, it places a despairing professor, White, in the modest apartment of an ex-con, Black, who has just intervened in his suicide attempt. Their extended conversation challenges values, beliefs and attitudes towards life, redemption and humanity.
The Sunset Limited marks the second production for CAST since its rebirth under the leadership of former artistic director Michael Simmons and co-founder Dee Abdullah. Earlier this year, they staged the emotionally charged Alabaster by Audrey Cefaly at Mint Museum Randolph’s Van Every Theater.
Seated: Michael Simmons, Dee Abdullah. Back row: Zach Humphrey, Thom Tonetti. Photographs courtesy CAST.
Experiential theater
CAST’s focus on “experiential theater” involves a heavy emphasis on process, extended preparation and rehearsal time with deep dives into character motivation, exploration of set design and costuming as storytelling elements. The company works to engage audiences from the moment they enter the theater through the final curtain.
“This production has an intensity behind it,” says Simmons, CAST’s managing artistic director. “It’s a play we feel is important to bring to the community.” With September marking Suicide Prevention Month, CAST aims to raise awareness and encourage conversation around mental-health challenges.
Abdullah directs the play. A seasoned theater veteran, she has worked as a director, writer and acting coach. The cast features Zach Humphrey as Black and Thom Tonetti as White — both are accomplished local and regional actors.
Charlotte Rescue Mission, NAMI Charlotte and Southminster Retirement Community are supporting CAST with mental-health resources. Post-show talkbacks are scheduled for Sept. 14 and 21.
“I’m excited to be back in a place that feels like home,” says Abdullah, of her return to CAST. “For so long after the company’s closing, I felt theater homeless. It’s wonderful to be working again with Michael on meaningful and important projects.”
Abdullah emphasizes the company’s deep commitment to this emotionally charged play.
“There are so many layers to these issues,” she says. “Suicidal thoughts affect more people than we realize. This is the kind of work CAST is built for — confronting difficult topics with honesty and empathy. We believe in the power of theater to connect, reach and move people. We welcome the challenge.”
Want to go?
The Sunset Limited runs Sept. 11-28 at The Arts Factory at West End Studios. The intimate black box space, normally seating 80, will be reconfigured to hold just 60 for a more immersive experience. Click here for tickets and more information.
