Revolution Stage Company is presenting the world premiere of Cockroaches, in association with the Del Shores Foundation.
The Del Shores Foundation Writers Search chose Cockroaches, by Emma Schillage, as their 2024 Best Play Award winner, and RSC founders Gary Powers and James Owens made the offer to produce the play, described as a Southern Gothic dark comedy. It is funny, scary and thought-provoking as we observe three sisters struggling with their relationships with each other—and their own mental health. Complicating everything is a dysfunctional, suicidal mother.
The play takes place in their run-down family home, in an unspecified part of the Deep South. Emerson Collins, the director, has an impressive background in producing, directing and acting in Southern-themed productions, and his experience has served him well. He kept the action nicely paced while letting his actors reveal their specific character personalities.
Sissy (played by Leilani Baldwin) is the youngest sister. She has a vivid imagination and talks openly about seeing monsters in the house. She seems to have a closer relationship with her mother but is also defensive in her relationships with her older sisters. Baldwin brings a physical quality to her role that makes her younger age believable.
The middle sister, Charlie (Casey Williams), is opinionated, displays quick emotional shifts, and is insecure about herself physically. She seeks validation and approval while also often deflecting what is offered. Williams gives the character of Charlie a wide emotional range. She is especially moving when showing vulnerability.
A quibble: The play opens with a scene between these two sisters, who are providing the audience important exposition about what we are going to be seeing, while introducing their specific character traits. Maybe it was opening night adrenaline, but every line of dialogue was given with much energy and volume (i.e., shouted). Not knowing the play, I wondered if these shouted exchanges had a specific purpose to the plot. (They didn’t.) If microphones were set too high, they need to be lowered. Nuances in line delivery would have helped both characters.
The oldest sister is Jenny (Fatima Reyes). She is away at Tulane and comes home when she can—inheriting the role of caregiver when she returns. She buys groceries and tries to tidy things while being simultaneously resented and appreciated by her sisters. Reyes does a wonderful job with all aspects of her role.
Sam (Mat Hayes) is a concerned neighbor who comes over to the girls’ house to offer help however he can. It is said when he first appears that he was a candidate to marry the girls’ mother. He is congenial and has many talents, such as cooking—but he may not be quite what he appears to be. Hayes is superb with his ingratiating charm and presence.
Mother (April Mejia) is often heard but largely unseen. Mother has returned home following her most recent unsuccessful suicide attempt, and we hear her moans and incoherent mumblings coming from a bedroom located on a platform in front of stage left. We don’t see her until much later in the play. Mejia is excellent here!
I, like many, find cockroaches to be repulsive and unnerving, and I was curious about the play’s title. At one point in the play, Charlie and Jenny see a cockroach—and they react as I would! When they recognize what is moving on the floor, they both emit a loud vocal sound; one cowers in fright, while other throws shoes at it, tries to step on it, and gets a can of Raid. Even when it has been zapped, out comes a book, dropped on the corpse, followed by multiple steps on the book to ensure that the intruder is DEAD. Then comes the disgusting job of picking up the remains and disposing of them. As the play progresses, the cockroach becomes a symbol of the well-being of this family. It is a beautifully tied-together telling; it would be unfair of me to say anything more.
Joyanne Tracy has once again designed a wonderfully functional set depicting a home that is aged, yet has a dignified appeal. She has a few clever tricks built in that will surprise. Duke Core’s lighting nicely sets the tone of spooky or realistic to highlight the play’s action. Nathan Cox provides the special sound effects—and there are many. Tracy and Ben Lopez are credited with special costume design.
This production of Cockroaches makes for a very entertaining time at the theater! Emma Schillage is a gifted storyteller.
Cockroaches will be performed at 7 p.m., Thursday and Friday; 8 p.m., Saturday; and 2 p.m., Sunday, through Sunday, May 3, at Revolution Stage Company, at 611 S. Palm Canyon Drive, in Palm Springs. Tickets are $38, and the play is about 95 minutes, with no intermission. For tickets or more information, visit www.revolutionstagecompany.com.
