theater

TAPE at Theater on the Edge

From left: Joey Ginel and Zack Roundy in TAPE at Theater on the Edge. Photo by Monica Mulder Photography.

By PAM HARBAUGH

For those adventurous souls who like discovering artsy corners in unlikely places, I urge you to consider THEATER ON THE EDGE in Orlando’s Edgewood neighborhood.

It’s a 30-ish seat studio venue carved out of the Truthful Acting Studios where actors are trained in the Meisner approach.

The theater there is not even a year old, but it has been a theatrically stimulating platform for provocative works, exciting performances and ultra-engaging design. In the past, it has restaged the Henegar’s production of VENUS IN FUR and a critically acclaimed production of David Mamet’s AMERICAN BUFFALO. On Friday, it is about to launch the Stephen Belber’s dark comedy, TAPE, which had its professional debut at esteemed Humana Festival of New American Plays.

Set in the late 1990s, the play revolves around three long time friends meeting up in a seedy motel room. It is like a Rashomon examination of a possible assault that happened in high school 10 years earlier. “Beneath its suspenseful, high-stakes surface, TAPE examines questions of motive, memory, truth and perception.”

Joey Ginel, Megan Raitano and Zack Roundy in TAPE at Theater on the Edge. Photo by Monica Mulder Photography.

Joey Ginel, Megan Raitano and Zack Roundy in TAPE at Theater on the Edge. Photo by Monica Mulder Photography.

The play stars: Zack Roundy as Vince, the pot-dealing volunteer firefighter with “violent tendencies” and the soul of a samurai; Joey Ginel as Jon, the narcissistic documentary filmmaker who enjoys perching himself on a pedestal and even makes confession all about himself; and Megan Raitano as Amy, an assistant D.A. who may or may not have been a victim of a crime but who definitely wraps herself with empowerment.

The set is by the company’s indefatigable resident scenic designer (she with amazing artistic integrity) Sam DiGeorge with lights and sound by Marco DiGeorge. I have had the honor to direct it.

Zack Roundy and Joey Ginel in TAPE at Theater on the Edge. Photo by Monica Mulder Photography.

Zack Roundy and Joey Ginel in TAPE at Theater on the Edge. Photo by Monica Mulder Photography.

The show runs March 3 to 19, performing mostly 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, and 7 p.m. March 15. There are exceptions, so click here for more info. Tickets are $19 and $22. Theater on the Edge is at 5542 Hansel Avenue, Orlando (about 10 minutes from the airport). Email info@theaterontheedge.org.

Also, the production has a “pre-show” of sorts. Those who arrive early enough can become voyeurs as Vince enters the motel room and prepares for the encounter.