Sunny Afternoon at Theatre Asylum

Sunny Afternoon

Theatre Asylum
6320 Santa Monica Blvd. Hollywood

Set during the time that Lee Harvey Oswald was held in the custody of the Dallas police, this new play takes a sideways look at a major turning point in American history. Christian Levatino's docudrama is set in an office within police headquarters where homicide Captain William J. Fritz is given the task of interrogating Oswald. With the nation waiting for answers, they discuss Van Heflin, Russia, Coca-Cola, Jim Brown, the AFL, backyard photographs and that Friday afternoon in Dealy Plaza. The play won Best of Fringe Extensions at the 2013 Hollywood Fringe Festival, as well as receiving a nomination for the Playwriting O Face Award.

Thru - Feb 1, 2014

Fridays: 8:00pm

Saturdays: 8:00pm

Sundays: 3:00pm

Show Type: Drama

Box Office: 323-962-1632

www.theatreasylum-la.com

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Sunny Afternoon Reviews

Average Rating based on 10 reviews

Highly Recommended
Recommended
Somewhat Recommended
Not Recommended

LA Weekly - Recommended

"...Much of the humor of Levatino's tersely funny script springs from the well-delineated personalities featured in its large, finely polished ensemble, in particular Darrett Sanders' assured performance as the shrewd but outfoxed homicide captain William Fritz, trying to conduct an honest investigation amidst the machinations."

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- Mindy Farabee

Broadway World - Somewhat Recommended

"...The play is bold, meticulous in detail, flooded with character, and challenging in every respect."

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- Shari Barrett

Stage Scene LA - Somewhat Recommended

"...If ever there were a play tailored to fit gangbusters' goal of "staging the imagined truth with speed and violence," Sunny Afternoon is that play (though any violence taking place is entirely offstage). A prime example of the heights Hollywood Fringe can reach when gifted artists pool their talents, it looks to be one of Fall 2013's most talked-about shows, and one well worth the word-of-mouth it's sure to inspire."

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- Steven Stanley

Examiner - Somewhat Recommended

"...Not since Oliver Stone has a writer/director brought forth such a plausible conspiracy theory as Levatino does in this show. It is a compelling look at Lee Harvey Oswald and the events that surrounded the assassination of JFK."

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- Bob Leggett

ArtsInLA - Somewhat Recommended

"...Under Levatino's direction, the ensemble cast is uniformly excellent. Sanders is particularly arresting (no pun intended), mining a down-home cowboy "aw-shucks" charm as a guy obviously more upset about a cancelled football game and intent on making sure his Chinese food delivery includes wings than he is interested in questioning the man seated across from him accused of one of the most infamous crimes in history. Sanders nails Fritz with veteran ease, understanding Levatino's intent to make Fritz likable until the coldblooded and unfeeling nature of his quest overshadows his easygoing allure."

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- Travis Michael Holder

Total Theater - Recommended

"...Levatino re-creates that sorry bit of history with a sure hand, but there is a built-in problem he and his capable cast can't overcome: we know all about Capt. Fritz, Oswald, and the others from countless books, documentaries and feature films. Unless you can come up with a new angle, a fresh revelation (especially where Oswald is concerned), why go to the trouble of dramatizing this story again? At this point in time, it's not enough to repeat history; it must be illuminated."

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- Willard Manus

LifeInLA - Recommended

"...I'm not sure which impressed me more: the lighting, the pacing, the performances, the writing, or the directing. It was an outstanding way to kick off a Saturday night."

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- Brett Edwards

Showmag - Recommended

"...Nevertheless, due to the commitment of the thirteen-member crackerjack cast and crew, the drama becomes gripping. On a set designed by David Mauer to replicate the worn office of a big city police department, circa 1960, and with costuming by Kaitlyn Aylward appropriately emphasizing big hats, gun-toting, and black suits, Sunny Afternoon is a dialogue-rich script made maximally dramatic through the inherently tragic circumstances on display."

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- Ben Miles

Pat Rye Reviews - Somewhat Recommended

"...This is one of the best ensemble casts I've seen in long time."

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- Patricia Foster Rye

Loz Feliz Ledger - Somewhat Recommended

"...Fine characterizations are offered by Darrett Sanders as police Cpt. Fritz, Gil Glasgow as the police chief and Michael Franco as District Attorney Henry Wade. "Sunny Afternoon" will reverberate with those who lived during this tumultuous time and for a younger generation will bring to life an epic event in the history of our country."

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- Marilyn Tower Oliver