Theatre Roulette 2009

MadLab writer/director duo showcase latest offering at popular playwright festival

By Dwayne Steward

Metromix

With hundreds of scripts coming in every year from all over the world, the selection committee for MadLab's "Theatre Roulette" doesn't always run with the local talent. Less than a dozen submissions actually make it to the stage each year, and odds are there are a few more worthy entrants outside of central Ohio.

But this year Columbus came up with not one but two plays featured in the lineup for the popular shorts festival, which runs from April 30 to May 23 at the troupe's theater on Grant Street.

Among the Columbus entries featured is "Exit Interview," the latest collaboration in a series of MadLab hits from writer Chris Morris and MadLab veteran director Stephen Woosley.

Being friends, the two have a typical communication pattern—e-mails, along with the occasional phone call or guys nights out—but unlike most friends, these conversations sometimes end up on stage in front of a large audience. "Exit Interview" is one such example, presenting the story of Dave (Jason Sudy), a man who can't seem to get the hang of dating. To solve his problem, he ingeniously decides that before letting his girlfriend, Betsy (Melissa Bair), cut him loose, she must first answer a few questions.

"It all came from an e-mail conversation," Woosley said.

"It was a byproduct of my own growing personal frustrations with the dating scene," Morris said. "Sometimes a relationship ends and you're not sure why. When you leave a job you sometimes do an exit interview to see what they liked about you or what you can do better. This character takes it to a literal extreme."

The duo met back in 1997 when Woosley was a writer for the school paper while studying law at Capital University. Morris was his editor. After graduation Morris moved to Chicago but later returned when Woosley was just getting his start at MadLab five years ago. After thriving for a year under the theater company's tutelage, Woosley roped Morris in, too.

"It's interesting our roles have kind of switched now," Woosley said. "He trusts me to mold his stuff."

However, after creating several productions together (including "Stripped Away," "Aphrodisia" and "Raye of Sunshine"), it begs the question: Why is this working?

"He and I don't share a brain," Woosley said. "But I do have a good feel for his material, and I can interpret it. We definitely work well together in that way."

"I typically just hand the script off to Stephen and let him run with it," said Morris, who also admitted he had yet to attend a rehearsal, with opening night just a few days away. "I trust that he'll create something that's in line with my vision."

MadLab's 10th "Theatre Roulette" opens 8 p.m. April 30 and offers 10 plays in three nights each weekend until May 23. Tickets are $6 to $12. For a full schedule, tickets or more information, visit the MadLab Web site.