RAHWAY, NJ — “The Unwitting Magician” will be at Hamilton Stage in Rahway on Monday, Dec. 8, at 7 p.m.
American Theatre Group, in partnership with the Union County Performing Arts Center, will present this special work in development by Jeremy Dobrish, as part of its free Play Reading Series.
“The Unwitting Magician” is a unique theatrical and magical one-night-only experience. Stacey Linnartz, a professional actor, director and teaching artist, most recently seen in ATG’s production of “Own Town,” will be handed a manila envelope of a script she has never seen. Its contents are a complete mystery. She has no idea what sort of play or theatrical experience may unfold.
This is an opportunity to experience a work currently in development that started with an idea – what would it be like if an actor was onstage with a script they have never seen before?
“In some ways, it’s the actor’s nightmare,” said Dobrish.
Dobrish said it’s a magic show and the actor is a magician, as all she knows is the title of the play, not what tricks she’s doing. “The less the actor knows, the better,” said Dobrish. “But if she knows a little bit, it’s fine.”
Dobrish and Linnartz don’t know each other. “It’s not like we’re friends or we’ve worked together,” Dobrish said. “I’m excited to do this. She’s been a trooper. Just show up; all the magic will happen.”
“The Unwitting Magician” will be done once as a free event. Dobrish said, “Most plays and musicals go through a developmental process. There’s no rehearsal; no way to develop it with somebody. The audience understands they are seeing the show in progress.”
After the show, there’s a question-and-answer discussion with Dobrish and Linnartz. The audience can tell them what they like about the reading.
Dobrish admits to being “very nervous.” He said, “We’re literally trying to do things that have never been done before. It’s incredibly nerve-racking. We have to do this in real time in front of a real audience. That’s part of the fun.”
As for Linnartz, Dobrish said, “I think she’s going to be really fantastic.”
The best part of being in arts and entertainment for Dobrish is that it’s a puzzle. He said, “It’s creating these worlds out of nothing. You literally start with nothing. What if this happens or that happens? Little by little, you put the pieces together. The best feeling is when you put it in front of the audience. They’re applauding because they think that idea you thought was interesting – they do, too!”
But the challenges of Dobrish’s career are when he gets to work on a show he really loves and is excited about, but for whatever reason the show doesn’t move forward. “That’s just heartbreaking,” he said. “That’s what I find difficult to deal with. It’s tough out there. It’s tough to get audiences to take a chance on new material. It’s a tricky business, for sure.”
When Dobrish isn’t working, the Maplewood resident plays a lot of pickleball.
“The Unwitting Magician” is free, but registration is requested at www.americantheatergroup.org/news.
Photo Courtesy of by Ben Hider
