Laura Turnbull and Mallory Newbrough as mother and daughter in the Actors' Playhouse Production of "A Rock Sails By." (Photo by Brooke Noble)
Sean Grennan’s plays do something to Lela Elam.
“Oh my God, I love him so much,” the South Florida performer says about the playwright. In an awed voice, Elam speaks about Grennan while trying to pin down how and why his works move her. A “mystical sort of energy” runs through Grennan’s plays, says Elam.
She should know. In 2016, Elam performed in Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre’s production of Grennan’s dramedy, “The Tin Woman.” In addition, Elam watched the company’s 2022 production of Grennan’s play, “Now and Then.” After the performance was over, Elam said she sat in her seat for several moments. She couldn’t move. She sat crying, she recalls.
Laura Turnbull and Daniel Llaca in the Actors' Playhouse Production of "A Rock Sails By." (Photo by Brooke Noble)
Now, Elam is about to appear in her second Grennan play at Actors’ Playhouse in Coral Gables. Specifically, the nonprofit, professional company, which has staged several of the playwright’s works, will soon mount a production of “A Rock Sails By,” a newer work by Grennan.
The production will include two preview performances on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16, before the official Friday night opening on May 17 in the company’s more intimate Balcony Theatre. The run will continue through Sunday, June 9.
“His plays will definitely take you somewhere,” says Elam. “That’s the beautiful thing about the theater in the first place.”
In “A Rock Sails By,” Dr. Lynn Cummings, an astrophysicist, tries to bring science and faith into balance while grappling with personal questions, reconnecting with her daughter, and mourning the loss of her husband. When scientists discover an unidentified object headed toward Earth, a less-than-reputable online magazine misquotes her. This casts doubt on Cummings’ credibility. To make matters worse, a doctor has diagnosed Cummings with early-onset dementia.
The play’s basis is an event that actually happened. Specifically, the first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, “Oumuamua,” was discovered on Oct. 19, 2017 by the University of Hawaii’s Pan-STARRS1 telescope. The International Astronomical Union officially named the object 11/2017 U1. “Oumuamua” is Hawaiian for “a messenger from afar arriving first.”
Lela Elam and Daniel Llaca in the Actors' Playhouse Production of "A Rock Sails By." (Photo by Brooke Noble)
But you don’t have to know anything about science to appreciate “A Rock Sails By,” cast member Daniel Llaca says.
Elam says she feels that Grennan “has a really special, unusual voice.”
Actors’ Playhouse Artistic Director David Arisco shares Elam’s enthusiasm about the playwright.
“He’s turned into one heck of a writer,” says Arisco. “His dialogue is how people really speak.” Also, Arisco says that Grennan has reached the point that the dramatic and thought-provoking portions of his plays receive more emphasis than the humorous parts.
“A Rock Sails By” “is a drama with humor, it’s not a comedy,” says Arisco. He adds that the piece features drama, mystery, science, science fiction, comedy, and health issues. Yet, the playwright ties all of it together “so nicely,” he says. “I think it’s Sean’s best work.”
The play comes together in an interesting climax that Arisco says he won’t spoil.
In fact, Elam declined to identify the characters she portrays; doing so might give away too much, she says.
Cast member Laura Turnbull, who portrays Cummings, says Grennan’s plays tend to feature a plot twist and/or something otherworldly.
Mallory Newbrough, Laura Turnbull and Daniel Llaca in the Actors' Playhouse Production of "A Rock Sails By." (Photo by Brooke Noble)
“A Rock Sails By” will mark Turnbull’s third Grennan play. Previously, she performed in Actors’ Playhouse’s productions of “The Tin Woman” as well as “Now and Then.”
While Turnbull says she doesn’t want to give anything away, audiences should expect to go on an “interesting journey” “and they won’t necessarily see what’s coming.”
Turnbull says some plays offer light, fluffy entertainment. Contrastingly, “’A Rock Sails By” “is a bit more thought provoking (but) without getting too heavy handed.”
Also, Grennan “makes his characters very real and relatable.”
Ultimately, “A Rock Sails By” is about relationships and how we face what life gives us and throws at us, Turnbull says.
Llaca, who plays the journalist who misquotes Cummings, agrees that Grennan’s work focuses on relationships, families, personal satisfaction, and self-worth. Grennan, who worked as an actor for many years, possesses a unique voice as a playwright, says Llaca.
Daniel Llaca and Mallory Newbrough in the Actors' Playhouse Production of "A Rock Sails By." (Photo by Brooke Noble)
This production will mark Llaca’s first time performing in a play by Grennan, although he’d heard about him and witnessed two of his works.
Cast member Mallory Newbrough plays Cummings daughter, Olive. Previously, Newbrough appeared as Abby in Actors’ Playhouse’s production of Grennan’s play, “Now and Then.”
Newbrough says that Grennan does an “exceptional job” of creating relatable characters. Also, the playwright writes dialogue for them that “can really convey the heartbreak of life’s experiences.”
“I hope that the audience sees the beauty within this snapshot of life that we’re presenting to them,” Newbrough says. “They can expect to see a realistic example of what life is like and how people respond to the many curveballs that life can throw at them.”
Cummings and her daughter represent differing views of life, Newbrough says. Specifically, while the younger woman believes in the unknown, her mother doesn’t. The older woman only believes in what people can prove to be facts. Still, “rather than being opposing forces, they’re more complementary,” Newbrough says. She adds that Grennan “does a great job of illustrating that she and her mother have way more in common than one would think.”
Arisco says he believes he first spoke to Grennan when Actors’ Playhouse did the playwright’s third piece. The two talked about Grennan’s work and agreed to stay in touch. In fact, their relationship developed to the point that every time Grennan writes a new play, he contacts Actors’ Playhouse.
Arisco says he signed up for Actors’ Playhouse to stage “A Rock Sails By” before the piece was even published and produced. “I read it and said we’re doing it,” says Arisco.
While Arisco and the production’s cast complimented Grennan, the actors praised Arisco as a director.
“I love working with Dave, he’s such a great spirit (and is) very collaborative. You can have a conversation with him and discuss what works (and) what doesn’t work. He’s very open to suggestions from actors,” says Turnbull.
According to Elam: “Dave gives you opportunities to explore and create. I enjoy working with him so much, he’s just a great guy. He’s just really down to earth and I think he’s an actors’ director. It’s a pleasure to work with him.”
Llaca was more succinct.
“Dave’s the best,” he says.
IF YOU GO
- WHAT: Actors’ Playhouse’s production of “A Rock Sails By,” by Sean Grennan.
- WHEN: The production begins previews on Wednesday, May 15, and officially opens on Friday, May 17. The run concludes on Sunday, June 9. Performances are at 8:00 pm Wednesday through Saturday, with matinees at 3:00 pm on Sundays. In addition, a special weekday matinee will take place at 2:00 pm Wednesday, May 22.
- WHERE: The Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile in Coral Gables.
- TICKETS: Prices range from $40 to $75.
Call (305) 444-9293 or go to www.actorsplayhouse.org. The theater offers 10 percent off all weekday performances for seniors and $15 student rush tickets to any performance 15 minutes before curtain with identification. The company also offers group discounted rates for 10 patrons or more through the group sales department at (305) 444-9293 ext. 2.
