Fiction

Steven Dietz became one of my favorite playwrights after I read the script for his play Rocket Man and the script for Stage Coach Theatre's current production, Fiction. His plays have smart, witty dialogue, and Dietz has a way of telling a great story.

The play is about a married couple, Michael and Linda Waterman (played by Andrew Ebert and Teresa Rodrick), who are both authors. Linda has been diagnosed with cancer, and she tells Michael that when she dies, she wants him to read her diaries. She also wants to read his. He's reluctant, but agrees. The secrets that spill forth from the pages take a few twists and turns when we see the prominent role that another woman, Abby Drake (Autumn Kersey), plays in both authors' journals.

Director Claudia Scott and Ebert, Rodrick and Kersey did a wonderful job of bringing the script to life. One of the really key elements to pulling it off was the tight pacing. At times, the actors -- particularly Ebert and Rodrick -- talk right over each other. You can make out what they're saying, and even if you can't, you can make out the meaning. But the way they interrupt each other really adds to the tension. The concerns over Linda's health, Michael's fears about her reactions to what he's written -- those really come through in those little interruptions and the halting dialogue. The fast pacing keeps the show moving along and keeps the audience eager to see what's coming next.