The regional premiere of Christian St. Croix’s “Monsters of the American Cinema” takes center stage at Urbanite Theatre this Halloween. Debuting on Oct. 31 and running through Dec. 7, this award-winning play takes audiences on a haunting journey through fatherhood, queerness, and the monsters inside of us.
Says Producing Artistic Director Summer Wallace, “I believe the play will resonate not only with seasoned theatergoers but also with audiences who may not traditionally find themselves in the theater. It’s a story that invites everyone in."
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Remy Washington is a widower. He has just inherited both a drive-in movie theater and the responsibility of raising Pup, his late husband’s straight teenage son. The two forge a strong bond around a shared love of classic American monster movies, but when Remy discovers that Pup has been tormenting a gay classmate, their relationship begins to fracture, and the real horrors surface. There is also a racial aspect to their relationship as Remy is Black and Pup is white.
Beneath the flickering glow of the drive-in screen, “Monsters of the American Cinema” is a funny and unexpectedly tender tale of fatherhood and loss. St. Croix’s breakout play, it has propelled recognition of the queer, Black playwright’s deeply empathetic and “invigoratingly original” writing.
The play premiered on March 23, 2023, at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland.
“What excites me about ‘Monsters of the American Cinema’ is the deeply human father–son dynamic at its core,” said Wallace. “Remy and Pup are navigating uncharted territory together, and their journey is both raw and universal.”
Wallace is directing the play, which stars Jon Gentry (Remy) and Tyler Gevas (Pup), as they make their Urbanite debuts. Gevas is a Sarasota native, having graduated from Booker High School.
St. Croix’s work has appeared at Rogue Machine Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, and ArtsWest Playhouse, and received the Carlo Annoni International and Dominic Orlando playwriting awards.
"’Monsters of the American Cinema’ is invigoratingly original...St. Croix boldly steps away from the collective fantasy world many playwrights and screenwriters are stuck in. He leans into a refreshing realism," stated Hollywood Revealed in its review of the play.
“There’s plenty to admire in St. Croix’s writing, from sly jokes slipped in sideways among his naturalistic language to his use of a simple but effective motif of monster movies and their true villains,” The Seattle Times noted.
Content Note: Adult language, homophobic and racial slurs, mentions of substance abuse and overdose, strobe lighting effects and loud sounds.
Creative Team
Playwright: Christian St. Croix
Director: Summer Wallace
Production Stage Manager: Alisha Tyler-Lohr
Scenic Designer: Jeff Weber
Lighting Designer: Lyndell McDonald
Sound Designer: Louis Vetter-Torres
Production/Facilities Manager: Louis Vetter-Torres
Costume Designer: David Covach
Set Dressing & Props Designer: Summer Wallace
Lead Carpenter: Eugene Alcorn
Scenic Charge: Rick Cannon
Playwright Bio:
St. Croix’s work has appeared at Rogue Machine Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, and ArtsWest Playhouse. He has received honors including the Carlo Annoni International and Dominic Orlando playwriting awards. Los Angeles Times critic Charles McNulty notes that St. Croix brings "grit" and "capacious empathy" to the stage, with a dash of surrealism. His O'Neill Finalist, “We Are the Forgotten Beasts,” and the ’90s-inspired “Zach” have drawn critical attention, with the latter being praised by the Seattle Times as a "nostalgic yet probing exploration of belonging." A Craig Noel Awards nominee, his latest project, “We Lovers,” continues his exploration of slice-of-life stories salted with the fantastical. St. Croix has a B.A. in directing from Fordham College at Lincoln Center and an M.F.A. in playwriting from Brooklyn College.
Director Bio
Summer Wallace (Director/ Set Dressing & Props Designer/ Producing Artistic Director) is a founder and producing artistic director of Urbanite Theatre. Her Urbanite directing credits include the regional premieres of “Scorch,” “Athena,” “Dry Land,” “Birds of North America,” “North Side Hollow,” “Spaceman” and “No One is Forgotten” and the world premiere of “Westminster.”
Wallace’s regional credits include Asolo Repertory Theatre, 1st Stage, Vashon Repertory Theatre, Florida Repertory Theatre, Mad Cow Theatre, Cumberland County Playhouse, Dog Days Theatre, New College of Florida, and the list goes on.
Her intimacy coordinator work includes “Intimate Apparel,” “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” “Anna & The Tropics,” “Dial M For Murder” (Asolo Repertory Theatre) and “The Graduate” (Players Theatre).
Wallace is an adjunct faculty member as part of the FSU Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. She is a proud member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.
Performances
Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Thursday performances are part of Urbanite Theatre’s Talkback Thursday series.
Talkbacks are moderated discussions with the cast that take place after the performance, offering audiences an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the show.
There is no show on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday.
Tickets and information: www.urbanitetheatre.com/monsters or by calling (941) 321-1397 Monday through Friday between the hours of 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Urbanite Theatre is located at 1487 2nd Street, Sarasota, Florida 34236.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
