Below: Charles Whitson on the set of “The UNEXPECTED MAN” at Heller Theater.
Photos by A. CUERVO / Tulsa World

'UNEXPECTED MAN' looks a missed opportunites, communication misfires

Here's the set-up: A man and a woman share a train compartment. They don't know one another, but the woman recognizes the man as a well-known author. More than that, she's a fan of his, and even has his latest book in her bag.

But she's afraid to start up a conversation with him, and it doesn't appear that he will initiate contact. Should she take out his book and begin reading? Why, what would he think?

No, out of the question. Better to just sit here and obsess over the situation.

That's only part of the premise of Heller Theater's production of "The UNEXPECTED MAN," a recent work by playwright Yasmina Reza (her Tony Award-winning "Art" was a hit for Heller in 2000), but it's a premise that's not difficult for many of us to imagine if put in the same situation.

Director Jenny Jackson can certainly relate to such circumstances.

"I went to a writing workshop not too long ago, and there was an author there, and of course I went there knowing he was going to be there, and when I saw him, I was just dumfounded and stupid," she says, laughing now at her shyness at speaking to Ron Carlson ("Plan B for the Middle Class," "The News of the World").

"I finally went up to him and asked him to sign my book, but there wasn't much else I could say. He was at Quartz Mountain several years ago, when I was there, and he directed a workshop. He read some of my writing at that time, so I reminded him of that, and he was like, 'Oh yes, of course,' and then the conversation went downhill from there."

She's laughing harder now at this remembrance, recalling how she wanted to approach him earlier, but she hadn't bought his book yet, and then he was standing by the book table and she didn't want to buy the book in front of him. It all sounds very familiar.

"This is the same kind of thing that the woman in the play goes through; she's got the guy's book the whole time, but to all of a sudden bring the book out, and say 'Look, I'm reading your book, you know'. . .

"The play is about the way we miscommunicate with each other -- here are two people who could be having a wonderful, intelligent conversation throughout this train ride, and they're afraid to speak to one another. And yet they're imagining the conversation that they would have were they to speak to each other. It's about the chances that we miss out on."

The characters in the play do everything from imagining what to say to creating fictional character details for one another. Of course, this happens in the form of internal monologues directed to the audience -- not by addressing one another.

"It's a challenge for the actors to make it interesting, but I found the play to be very endearing," Jackson said. "I just think so many people can relate to it, those things that we think about that are really neurotic rantings or insecure thoughts that we have, things that we wish we could say to someone."

The cast for this production is Liz Masters, a veteran of several local productions in recent years, and Charles Whitson, who returns to Heller after last appearing in the company's production of "Mr. Lucky's Pub & Grill" in 1999.

The play is a one-act lasting about 90 minutes, and the stage crew includes Missy Childs, Rich Bentz and Scott Heberling.

What: Heller Theater presents "The UNEXPECTED MAN"
When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 2 p.m. Feb. 1; 8 p.m. Feb. 6-8
Where: Heller Theater, 5328 S. Wheeling Ave.
Tickets: $5-$7, may call for reservations at 746-5065; NOTE: This play contains adult language and situations