The Sensational Adventures of David and Brian Go to Florida for More Sins of the Mother

by Scot Whitney

Quick background: Israel Horovitz showed up in Olympia in May, 2008, to visit his daughter who had moved here. He saw the theater, saw that we were doing SHINING CITY, and emailed me, Scot Whitney, the artistic director, to see if he could get a tour of our theater and watch a dress rehearsal. I said yes. He came. He saw. He asked me if I wanted to direct his new play, SINS OF THE MOTHER. I told him I'd love to read it. I did. I loved it. We changed our season to include the play two days before the subscription brochure went to print. Seven months later we began rehearsals. Israel showed up and worked with us for a week, then returned for the opening. Everyone had a blast. The audience loved it. I loved it. Israel loved it. We all wanted to work with each other again.

Last summer the second production of the play was staged at Gloucester Stage in Gloucester, MA, where Israel was the artistic director for about 30 years. David Nail, who played Dubbah, was invited to play the same role again. He accepted the role. A few days before rehearsals began, the company lost their Frankie/Philly and Brian Claudio Smith was invited to come and join them as well. He hated to turn it down, but it was the last minute and he couldn't rearrange his schedule.

Now the third production of the play is being produced at Florida Stage, which is the largest regional theater in the country producing only new and emerging works. It's being directed by Israel Horovitz. Both David Nail and Brian Claudio Smith have been cast in this production. On Sunday, January 6, 2010, they got on a plane in Seattle at the crack of dawn and, three stops and sixteen hours later, they arrived in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Yup. This is home-sweet-home-away-from-home for Brian and David for over two months. As in January, February and part of March. (Notice that it's not raining. Nor has the patio furniture been put away for the winter. They have strange customs in Florida.) This is one of a set of bungalows that the theater owns in which they house out of town actors. All in a bunch, so they can have barbecues and parties together. Which is probably to limit interaction with normal Floridians, who might not understand.

Oh yeah? What's so great about Florida? Whether you're swimming in the Atlantic or walking down the sidewalk in Olympia, you still get wet! And if you stay in the ocean long enough, you're bound to get cold. I'm just sayin'.

Brian and David (not visible here because they're both behind the camera) savor the sunset because as soon as that sun is DOWN, that means it's PARTY TIME!

(Sorry, we've banned all photos of their first party on this website.)

Move on to the first rehearsal!