Penned by prolific author David Rambo – a man known for his contributions to television, stage, and film – A GOOD GUY takes on a very serious and timely topic: school shootings. Playwright David Rambo has some very definite ideas about school shootings and gun control: “Whenever someone declares that the best way to stop a school shooter is to arm teachers, I can tell that they haven’t spoken to any teachers about it…being part of a family of four generations of public school teachers, I understand the balancing act that teachers perform daily between work and life at home. What happens in one arena inevitably impacts behavior in the other. Now add a gun to the equation, and my play begins.”
Evangeline Edwards and Suzen Baraka – Photo by Jeff Lorch
When director John Perrin Flynn read Rambo’s script, he was immediately struck by the power of the play about gun violence: “Did you know gun violence is the leading cause of death in children in the United States? David Rambo has written a remarkable play inhabited by beautifully realized characters, the playing of whom offers complexities of choice and motivation that I have seldom seen. It is an honor to be directing the world premiere.” And so, in 2024, Rogue Machine proudly presents A GOOD GUY.
Suzen Baraka, Evangeline Edwards, and Wayne T. Carr – Photo by Jeff Lorch
The place is everywhere, and the time is now. All Anna (Evangeline Edwards) has ever wanted to do was teach, and she has realized her dream educating eighth graders in middle school. True, teaching is a poorly paid and stressful job which has only become more stressful with time and the introduction of more distractions than ever for the average kid in public school. Her school is up-to-date on the rise of gun violence in schools, and her kids have been trained to handle the unlikely event of a school shooter. And then the impossible happens. Anna comes face-to-face with a teen holding an automatic weapon and randomly shooting at anything and anybody who moves. But this time will be different, for Anna happens to have a handgun in her desk drawer– a gun she legally purchased for her protection in her remote home, and a gun which she has trained herself to use at the local range. As the masked shooter approaches her students and takes aim to “her kids” in the classroom, she has some quick choices to make. And thereby hangs the tale of Anna and the ramifications of her choice.
Evangeline Edwards and Wayne T. Carr – Photo by Jeff Lorch
Rambo’s beautifully realized script is lovingly and brilliantly helmed by director Flynn, who manages to pinpoint the multiple challenges in a play about gun violence in a country where gun advocates fiercely defend their right to own and use guns. As interpreted by the talented cast, the complexity of each character is front and center. Suzen Baraka and Wayne T. Carr take on multiple roles in the tale, shape shifting at lightening speed to strike just the right note for the new character. Logan Leonardo Arditty poignantly performs the role of a trouble teen who seems ready to resort to school violence. Kudos to star Evangeline Edwards, who holds the story together with skill and passion.
Evangeline Edwards and Wayne T. Carr – Photo by Jeff Lorch
The intimate Henry Murray Upstairs Stage at the Matrix is the perfect place to bring this story to life, and the production team takes full advantage of the setting. Jan Munroe’s scenic design, Christine Cover Ferro’s costumes, Christopher Moscatiello’s sound, and Dan Weingarten’s lighting feel just right for the production. A GOOD GUY is definitely a not-to-be-missed production. It is timely, touching, powerful, and thought-provoking. It also happens to be a very entertaining show.
Evangeline Edwards and Wayne T. Carr – Photo by Jeff Lorch
A GOOD GUY runs through October 13, 2024, with performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Mondays, at 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 7 p.m. on Sundays (no performance on Friday 9/20). The Rogue Machine performs at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046. Tickets are $45 (students $25; seniors $35; Show4Less Fridays on September 27 ($15+ and October 4 ($20). For information and reservations, call 855-585-5185 or go online.
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