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Thursday, August 01, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury
Theater: DAMNed if they don't
Upstart community theater group, wants to bring original voices to the Vegas stage
By Erin Auerbach
On the slick Seattle streets, many people slip into the numerous theaters to escape the downpour. Eugene Kirk was one of them for 10 years, enjoying his passion for theater in a city that embraced all kinds of shows, from the classics to musicals to new and experimental productions. Almost two years ago, however, the incessant rain finally got to him and he headed south to sunny Las Vegas.
Kirk brought his love of theater with him, and he's been desperate to get something started locally. His dream is slowly becoming a reality now that he's gotten Las Vegas Little Theatre to agree to let him use its space for his DAMN meetings.
As a founding member of Dramatists and Actors Meeting Now, Kirk commenced his pursuit almost a decade ago in Seattle, inspired by the love of a quirky David Lynch television show.
"I started it out of a need to see more `Twin Peaks.' In the early '90s, the show was big. We wanted more after it was canceled and got together and produced a theatrical sequel to `Twin Peaks.' From that point, we tied up all the loose ends in a trilogy of plays."
The group's shows were so well-received, it got written up in Wrapped in Plastic, the magazine devoted to David Lynch's work, which is still published today (although now if focuses heavily on the "X-Files").
"We performed them in a theater, and they were so successful that we extended the runs," Kirk said. In fact, the second and third sequels were part of Seattle's Fringe Festival, a weeklong event during which 60 theater companies put on various original shows in several venues. DAMN won an award for selling out its performance.
DAMN eventually got over its obsession with "Twin Peaks" and turned its attention to the joy and creativity it found in producing new productions. "From then on, we decided to continue to meet at a theater and go over any work from any writer who came off the street and let any actor off the street be in them."
After its success at the Fringe Festival, DAMN rented out various theater spaces, including Odduck Studios and Harvard Garage, and by the time Kirk left in 2000, there were about 15 regular members plus another 10-15 people.
An activities coordinator at The Plaza Regency nursing home by day, Kirk is a playwright, actor, Elvis impersonator and would-be innovator by night. "About four months ago, when I called theaters to ask about renting their space for a night or a week, Las Vegas Little Theatre asked me to come in and pitch the DAMN concept at its board of directors meeting. They loved it and gave me the green light."
The group had its first meeting July 10, and it plans to meet every two weeks. DAMN is an open venture, and is looking to produce a variety of work.
"Basically, there's no mandate as to what you can write about. You can write about anything," Kirk says. "It can be about Vegas or Timbuktu. Usually we have a theme for a show...such as HalloweenÉso we could have a gambling show, a Vegas show."
Kirk is also in the process of writing for some late-night shows that Las Vegas Little Theatre is hosting. He says a few bars are interested in the DAMN concept as well.
"DAMN is a place to start, to produce a show out of thin air, and Vegas is a good place to start it," he says. "We're 100 percent original, open to everyone. You just show up, bring your work or talent, and try."
Regardless of whether DAMN produces big hits or major duds, Kirk is happy. "I've seen more sunny days in Vegas in one year than in 10 years in Seattle, and I love all the free parking!"
For more information about DAMN, call Eugene Kirk at 253-7131.