MICHAEL WEEMS
ONWARD FORWARD
Onward, Forward is a comic look at the ongoing relationship between Joe, a disgruntled folk singer dying to rock out and his songwriter/manager, Ryan who searches for a cure to life in the offices of whichever doctor his insurance will allow. Their frustrating friendship is put to the test in suburbia where what starts as a typical gig leads to encounters with a sharp-witted single mother, a sorority girl looking for a way to entertain herself for the summer, and parents that seem harmless on the outside. As their musical pit stop gets extended, Joe and Ryan find themselves in a situation that threatens to make them lose who they are and who they want to be.
Onward, Forward provides a humorous and moving telling of a story about staying in touch with reality, valuing friends and family, and knowing when to let go.
Little Hibiscus Productions
December 2008 - Beckmann Theatre
"[T]his is a well-written play that could have, under bad direction, been filled with over-the-top and clichéd performances, but with fine actors and under the able direction of Karen M. Dabney, it is about the story and the people, not about mannerisms and being clownish." - Robert Barry Francos, Ffanzeen.com
Starring:
Ryan Franklin - Michael Weems
Joe Tully - Bill Bria
Cara Rawley - Whit Elliott
Lauren Clayton - Shuo Zhang
Stacy Alder - Rachel Dorfman
Mrs. Clayton - Alixx Schottland
Ralph Clayton - Gregory Taft Gerard
Ted Reeves - Theodore White
Directed by Karen Dabney
Beckmann Theatre
314 West 54th Street, New York, NY
