Wraith Radio
by Chris Fontanes
November 2016 at the BAM Academy Warehouse, Austin Texas
B. Iden Payne Award Nomination, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama, Emily Rankin
B. Iden Payne Award Nomination, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Drama, Ellen Falterman
B. Iden Payne Award Nomination, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Drama, Ellen Falterman
In the Press:
"This production was richly rewarded with Emily Rankin and Ellen Falterman as the enigmatic leading characters, Wraith and Star... [Their] commitment makes their every move utterly fascinating to watch. When onstage together the actors' innate chemistry give Fontanes' words a consistent rhythm and provides brief moments of humor with their witty exchanges. Emily Rankin is gripping and heartbreaking as the title character."
--Broadway World Austin
"Crop-haired Emily Rankin as the gently free-associating and perhaps hallucinating Wraith is stoic, wry, wounded, and past all hope of rescue. The audience is absorbed by her flat emotionless free association and soon absorbed into her hallucinations as well."
--CTX Live Theatre
"Emily, in a brilliant performance as Wraith, is angst incarnate. Here is a tortured character, who's perhaps lost grips with reality and doesn't seem to be aware that it's a problem. She seems to be without remorse, however tormented she is. We hurt for her, because clearly she has been through some shit. We want to help, we want to just listen, but we are prisoners, unable to do anything but watch this all play out. Unable to speak to this person who so clearly wants there to be someone on the other end of that radio."
--CTX Live Theatre (2nd Feature)
"This production was richly rewarded with Emily Rankin and Ellen Falterman as the enigmatic leading characters, Wraith and Star... [Their] commitment makes their every move utterly fascinating to watch. When onstage together the actors' innate chemistry give Fontanes' words a consistent rhythm and provides brief moments of humor with their witty exchanges. Emily Rankin is gripping and heartbreaking as the title character."
--Broadway World Austin
"Crop-haired Emily Rankin as the gently free-associating and perhaps hallucinating Wraith is stoic, wry, wounded, and past all hope of rescue. The audience is absorbed by her flat emotionless free association and soon absorbed into her hallucinations as well."
--CTX Live Theatre
"Emily, in a brilliant performance as Wraith, is angst incarnate. Here is a tortured character, who's perhaps lost grips with reality and doesn't seem to be aware that it's a problem. She seems to be without remorse, however tormented she is. We hurt for her, because clearly she has been through some shit. We want to help, we want to just listen, but we are prisoners, unable to do anything but watch this all play out. Unable to speak to this person who so clearly wants there to be someone on the other end of that radio."
--CTX Live Theatre (2nd Feature)
Cast:
Emily Rankin - Wraith
Ellen Falterman - Star
Michael Rodriguez - Jessie
Tim Olivares - Death
Production Staff:
Chris Fontanes - Writer + Director
Emily Rankin - Poster Design
Produced by Bottle Alley Theatre Company
Photo credit: Chris Fontanes, Tim Olivares, Chad Wellington
Emily Rankin - Wraith
Ellen Falterman - Star
Michael Rodriguez - Jessie
Tim Olivares - Death
Production Staff:
Chris Fontanes - Writer + Director
Emily Rankin - Poster Design
Produced by Bottle Alley Theatre Company
Photo credit: Chris Fontanes, Tim Olivares, Chad Wellington