The Mary D. Fisher Theatre — in partnership with the Theatrikos Theatre Company of Flagstaff and Canyon Moon Theatre Company of Sedona — is bringing a debut play by Seth Muller, “Monsters,” which will be performed as a dramatic reading by some of Flagstaff’s most talented actors. Mary Guaraldi, who founded and ran Canyon Moon in Sedona, directs this fun and twisted dark comedy.
“Monsters” features six interconnected stories that show us some kind of creature we know, such as a vampire, werewolf, zombie or demon. But the presence of the monster quickly takes a backseat with a sharp twist or big dollop of irony. Often the tricky sides of human nature become more the monsters than the creatures themselves. Think of them as contemporary versions of the kinds of stories seen on television shows such as “Twilight Zone” or “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
“I first started exploring this play idea when my then-four-year-old daughter asked me if there are any such things as monsters in the world,” Muller said. “I was hung up on this question because I wanted to say no, as she was referring more to the fairytale and Hollywood variety. But there are dangers and dangerous people to caution our children about. And the monsters of fairytales often exist as some kind of instruction to this. So, I started to chart some writing on this idea of a play series where each one had a literal and figurative monster lurking somewhere.”
Muller explained that the word monster comes from an Old French word “monstre,” that means “to show.” Some speculation on the origin traces it to a time when the church brought around displays of sinners, such as prostitutes, to “show” what happened when a person sinned. They were done up to look grotesque and became the “monstres” or “monsters.” Muller noted that it “sounded a lot like an early version of the cautionary tale, and the display sounded an awful lot like theatre.” It turns that “monster” also gives us the words “demonstrate” and “demonstration.” And Muller likes to point to the “demon” that hides in those words.
“Monsters” includes stories about a vampire who preys on a corrupt congressman; a drama that unfolds in a house while an apocalypse roils outside the front door; a couple in denial about their young son’s very unusual behavior when they visit the preschool’s director; and a father dealing with a single daughter’s insolence and how it threatens to unleash his own demons.
The 17 roles are handled wonderfully by seven seasoned actors who take on multiple characters as a troupe. Jessalyn Carpino, Gill Green, Joshua Heredia, Don Olson, Nick Rabe, and Linda and Tony Sutera have all taken the stage in productions at Theatrikos. As director, Guaraldi brings more than 30 years of professional theatrical experience to this premiere show.