‘Spaceman’ and ‘Broadway’ together: Molly Allen’s two one-act plays debut at Stage Left Theater

In a one-two punch of new works, Stage Left Theater presented the world premiere of two one-act plays on Friday in downtown Spokane.

Local playwright and radio personality Molly Allen has authored “Spaceman,” a drama crafted around the highest possible stakes, and “Broadway,” a comedy in the tradition of a TV sitcom.

The plays premiered at Stage Left are both short and original but very different from each other, according to Allen, who has served as the progressive nonprofit’s resident playwright for the past four years.

“Spaceman” is a jolting life-or-death battle between a lawyer trying to save her client’s life, while the client, a death row inmate, rushes to his own execution. Her second play, “Broadway,” is a hilarious slice-of-life about two small-town actors who room together in New York City to pursue their unlikely dreams of big-stage stardom.

“I’ve told friends to picture the evening like you’re at home, and first you watch a full episode of ‘The X-Files,’ and then afterward, you want a cleanser before you go to bed, so you watch a quick episode of ‘Will & Grace,’ ” Allen chuckled. ” ‘Spaceman’ will make you think and feel a certain way, while ‘Broadway’ is all comedy.”

Spokane residents recognize Allen from spending drive times listening to her host the radio morning show “Dave, Ken and Molly” on KZZU. However, in recent years, Allen’s playwrighting “hobby,” as she puts it, has earned her critical acclaim and regional awards.

Allen’s original comedy, “Closing It Up,” played to sold-out audiences in the 2018-19 season at Stage Left and went on to win several awards at the Kaleidoscope Festival. She took home the Audience Favorite Award at Spokane Civic Theater’s 29th Playwright’s Forum Festival for “The Hostage,” and she entertained overflow crowds at Ignite Theater’s 2016-17 season with “On Shaky Ground.”

Allen’s plays typically mix humor and serious situations, but “Spaceman” and “Broadway” may be her greatest extremes in both genres.

“You have these two diverse pieces, one that’s very dramatic, makes you think for days, and one that’s absolute funny fluff,” “Spaceman” director Dawn Taylor Reinhardt said. “People should come to think and then come to laugh.”

“This entire production of Molly’s has the purest form of her drama and the purest form of her comedy,” Heather McHenry-Kroetch, director of “Broadway,” agreed.

Reinhardt hopes “Spaceman” will prompt the audience to ponder big questions. “I want them to get in the car afterwards and have a conversation. To ask ‘What if?’ and ‘What about?’ ” she said. “I’m still asking those questions after I go home and fall asleep after rehearsal every night.”

Allen’s respect for the two women chosen to direct her plays is apparent. It helps that she has worked with both of them in the past.

“(Reinhardt) really digs deep with the actors, which is just always so beautiful about her,” Allen said. “(McHenry-Kroetch) sometimes knows what I meant to convey even before I do.”

During intermission, the death row jail cell scene artfully depicted onstage will be turned into a New York City apartment worthy of a “Seinfeld” or “Friends” episode.

“It’s magic how the set change is choreographed,” Reinhardt said. “It’s worth it to grab a glass of wine at intermission and watch the creativity of the transformation.”

“(Stage Left artistic director and set designer) Jeremy Whittington did an incredible job on the set,” McHenry-Kroetch said. “It’s a delightful surprise.”

Whittington pulls double duty for Stage Left’s “Spaceman” and “Broadway.” In addition to designing the sets, he also commands the stage as one of the four stars in “Broadway.” In the play, his character’s over-the-top enthusiasm for his craft will strike a chord with anyone familiar with community theater.

“As with any artist who keeps trying, there’s a hopefulness that’s lovely to watch,” McHenry-Kroetch said.

Allen has her own hopes tied into her comedic play. Along with her writing partner Steven Wiley, she is currently writing more screenplays, or “episodes,” involving the same four characters in “Broadway.” The writers’ expectation is to get the scripts filmed and ultimately picked up as a new TV series.

“It’s so important to have local theaters that perform and support new works,” Allen said. “The experience of having actors and directors work through your writing could launch a career.”

“Playwrights get to learn what works and what doesn’t,” Reinhardt said. “They need to hear the play on its feet.”

“I don’t think anything but live theater enjoys the kind of collaborations that a new work goes through,” Mchenry-Kroetch said. “Working with living playwrights, directors, the actors, the lighting and sound techs – a new work in a theater is like no other artistic endeavor.”

Collaborators for “Spaceman” and “Broadway” also include stage manager Elizabeth Kitzig and cast members Dahveed Bullis and Jane May in “Spaceman” and Molly Tage, Whittington, Dalin Tipton and Mary Starkey in “Broadway.” The plays run from March 25 through April 10. For more information, visit stagelefttheater.org.

Allen’s constant aim to entertain her audiences extends to the actors themselves. “My favorite part of writing plays is creating dialog that people would actually say in real life,” Allen said. “I hope that the actors find it’s a lot of fun for them to be in my plays.”

Arts and entertainment correspondent Audrey Overstreet is vice president of the board of directors for Stage Left Theater.