U.S. Drag

The more you know:

U.S. Drag – a term coined by author William S. Burroughs to describe America’s sense of depression and longing

It’s also the name of Gina Gionfriddo’s fantastic 2001 play that was one of the best evenings I’ve seen in theatre all year and perhaps my life. Glenn Paris, the producing artistic director of the Ion Theatre Company in San Diego, works at the Playhouse with me for his day job. He’d put a poster up in the break room for Ion’s production of U.S. Drag and it was the first time I’d realized it was his company he was promoting. Wanting to see if I could get something going with Ion I asked if he’d be willing to read Our Mother and Bronx Got Bombed—then just to throw in some good will I said I come to the show.

What could it hurt to support local arts, especially if you have hopes to work with them some day? I dragged Justin out of his house and together with his pseudo-girlfriend, Mai, we ventured down to Mission Valley. Underneath the trolley station and behind the Christian Fellowship building is a row of storage units, the last row housing the Ion Theatre Company in a small connection of three garage spaces to hold a small dance studio and black box theater. Justin, shaking his head, said to me “what have you gotten us into? We’re going to be killed back here!” I, on the other hand, was getting excited: “This is going to be great!” And I meant it. After all, who am I to judge if not the co-founder of the improv troupe who performed in the tool shed at the LGBT Center on Salt Lake’s west side—I started all my shit in places like these. I know they are dedicated and hard working artists and I was so pumped to see what they had.

Both of our expectations were exceeded. Not only were the production elements to the piece fantastic for being low-budget, but the space was clean and professional, not thinking for a moment that it wasn’t a legitimate performance space. Then the play itself: it was a biting script that I think Justin and I, New Yorkers at heart, were the only ones who could fully appreciate. It was so fucking funny, but even more fucking true. Put a group of talented actors on top of that, with a special consideration for Karson St. John’s magnificently humorous and human portrayal of Allison, and we were rolling on a great night of theater. About 2/3rds of the way into the play the lights started to get wonky…changing in the middle of scenes then going black all together (Justin thought it was an artistic choice about fading morality). The actors persevered until the stage manager apologized and called for an intermission (which was not scheduled for the 95 minute show). That didn’t stop the show: the cast came out, clapped for the audience and kept the spirits of the crowd up. When the stage manager, resigned to the fate of a malfunctioning light board, she asked if we wanted the play to continue using only two fluorescent bulbs as a source of light, Justin and I were not the only ones clapping for the show to go on. And it went just splendidly. The actors picked up right where they left off, not missing a beat, and even joking with the technical difficulties recently presented to them. While the last monologue by an author character and the stage-y curtain call were a little off putting at the end, U.S. Drag became one of the best nights of theater I’ve seen in my life because it proved that love for the theater can carry a show further than any critical or monetary success. Not only did the cast and crew maintain a “show-must-go-on” mentality, but the audience seemed to genuinely find themselves invested in the characters and wanting to know the outcome of the story. I was almost dumbfounded as to why Glenn’s partner and director of the show as offering refunds at the end of the show because I don’t think one person took him up on his offer.

And why the hell should they? Hands down one of my favorite plays of the year.