Local Playwright Receives WORLD PREMIERE of New Play!

Meet Darryl Vinyard. Playwright and long time Valley resident. His newest play is receiving its World Premiere at Theatre West.

And, as it happens, the show is also set in the Valley. Specifically, in the backyard of a Sherman Oaks Fixer-Upper on hot summer day.

In addition to the location striking a familiar chord, his poignant new play will likely push a personal trigger or two as you see attributes of your own family members struggling inside the story. Vinyard brings forth a family that is "messy, loud, broken, but beautifully real." — Samantha Simmonds-Ronceros, NoHo Arts District

Here Vinyard describes the inspiration behind his latest work:

I have a good friend who, when he was in his late 20's-early 30's, started to enjoy a great deal of success in his career as a salesman. Coincidentally, my friend's father was a salesman, too. After being a salesman his whole life, my friend's father never enjoyed the success or wealth his son did. In fact, after my friend bought a beautiful home and a European luxury sedan, I overheard this father bitterly remark, "You know, I'm driving a beat up old VW bug right now. I could buy 20 of my cars for what you paid for yours and I'd still have money left over." Shortly thereafter, my friend's father died unexpectedly. Despite their turbulent relationship, my friend said to me, "I'm going to miss my Dad. One of the things I'll miss most though is, I never got to hear him say he was proud. That he was proud of me." This gave me an idea for a story and I started to write it. At the same time this was happening to my friend, in my own family, I had relatives who were getting divorced, becoming single parents, facing financial ruin, I even had a relative who was getting arrested and going to jail. This put a great deal of strain on my family both emotionally and financially. It lead to arguments, fights, and "I'm never going to talk to you again!" estrangements.

After writing for about a year, I found I had very colorful characters but frustratingly, nothing I could put on stage. I then revisited my friend's story. I decided to introduce his family to mine to see what would happen. I once had a writing teacher tell me, "Put your characters in a room, lock the door, throw away the key. Let them fight until one of them emerges victorious. You'll discover conflict and your characters will reveal who they are by fighting for what they want." I found my friend's story and my family's had similarities: no matter where you are in life, successful or in trouble, you want attention, affection, love, especially from family. Instead of locking them up in a room, I put them in a backyard patio on a hot day in the dead of summer and I threw them a party where they could invite family only.

I hope audiences enjoy their stories. I hope my friend sees this play and finds he isn't alone because almost every son seeks approval from his father but not every father is able to give it. Most of all, I hope my family is still talking to me when the lights fade and the play ends."

FAMILY ONLY runs through March 19th
Directed by Arden Teresa Lewis
Cast: Riley Rae Baker • Roger Kent Cruz • Frank Gangarossa • Anne Leyden • Sheila Shaw • Dianne Travis
Fridays at 8pm are Pay-What-You-Can Nights (*Walk-up Only)
Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm
Free Parking in Panasonic Lot across the street from the Theatre
www.theatrewest.org

"Absorbing... (I) sat with the rest of the audience, in pin drop silence as the second act hurtled toward climax and dénoument. My companion and I talked and argued about the show for the entire forty-minute drive home. That is the effect of a very good, thought-provoking play." — Paul Myrvold, Theatre Notes

"Fantastic, Pure Energy, Drama of Passion With A Comical Family Heart ...Absolutely Riveting! Stop reading this and just go – go now!” — Lorenzo Marchessi, The Geek Authority