...'Cos you're going to be swacked with three different fifteen minutes of Juan C. Sanchez's super writing, terrific acting and some swell direction by Mia Rovegno, all on the third floor of Biscayne Boulevard's Gold Dust Motel as “Miami Motel Stories” toasts the past vices of Biscayne Boulevard.
You have a yellow key, go to a yellow door. Get a blue key, go to a blue door. Pink Keys? Pink doors.
Nine different 15 minute plays, three plays per night, pick your night, pick your key, come back again and again for all nine.
Confusing? All will be explained on arrival. Bell boys and bell girls in abundance lead you everywhere, explaining all.
If you're early, wait in the lobby for your start time, then move to the courtyard between the two building wings, hang out, buy drinks, listen to the rock and roll, admire the old bus, the Lincoln, the Caddy. Pretty boring. Finally you're seated on the bus and the ride back in time takes over.
Third floor, first yellow door, four of us enter into the garbage pit that was once a room. The wreckage includes Daniel Gil as room destroyer, raving dope fiend and sometime boxer. We back up against a wall, nervous, as Gil thrashes, screaming his sad tale, no breath pauses here. It's a fifteen minute monologue. A star turn. Woah.
The bell rings, we go to the next yellow door. A couple enters, tourists carrying suitcases. Stephen Kaiser and Monica Lynne. They glow with the wonders of Miami. She wants the parrot jungle, he the vices. A smart, intriguing piece about marriage and its limits. Woah, once more.
The final bell rings, a bell hop takes us to another yellow door. Aubrey Kessler is a hooker (no, I'm not. I'm a lady of the evening) with the requisite heart of gold. As long as she gets the money. Zachary Myers is the reluctant john. Wife less, almost life less. Nobody loves me, nobody to love. No, it's not corny, not with these two actors. And the final woah.
Three impressive one acts. I want more.
We are led down to the lower levels of the Gold Dust. There's a casino. Gregg Weiner as The Bookie, a sleazy dealer flipping the black jack, promising a shot of Chivas to the winners, engrossing with his tales.
There's a cafe with waitress Coley Campany running the banter with her customers, a bar with Jeff Quintana as The Bartender, behind the stick. And everywhere there are actors performing amongst the wandering audience. What's real? Who's real. The delightful puzzle of the night.
Opening night was not without its problems. Inadequate pre opening information led to early arrivals who then had lengthy waits before they could view the plays.
An ambitious project requiring much planning, Juggernot Theatre Company's “Miami Motel Stories” is providing an interesting evening, excelling with its writer, director and approximately thirty actors.
See it through Dec. 23 at the Gold Dust Motel, 7700 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. 877-504-8499 www.miamimotelstories.com