Thingamajig Theatre Company 2015-2016 Winter Season opener:

The Pillowman

Written by Martin McDonagh
Directed by Melissa Firlit
Plays October 9 through November 1

Martin McDonagh, the brilliant playwright behind ‘The Pillowman’ (opening October 9), is said to be the Wild Man of the West End. Anyone who is familiar with his work can see the inner-workings of a dark mind at play on stage or on screen. He brilliantly creates haunting images delivered under the guise of humor so that when one leaves the theatre, you are left still trying to define exactly what you just witnessed.

A native of London, England, McDonagh was crowned with an incredible award when he had four plays in production on the West End simultaneously. He was the first playwright since Shakespeare himself to have such a standing and he achieved it at the young age of 27. A simple perusal into his work will leave you with no confusion as to why his writing is so praised among theatre critics and why Thingamajig Theatre Company is thrilled to present his work.

Unafraid to shed light on uncomfortable and shocking situations, McDonagh has a penchant for forcing audiences to question not only the characters’ decisions but their own inner demons as well. Rather than creating a wholesome theatre experience from which the viewers leave feeling rather warm and fuzzy, his writing clearly has the ambition to force the audience to face truths that aren’t in the least bit “nice.” Each of his plays deals with an element of human behavior that when seen in moderation would give no one pause. Magnified by circumstance, however, the audience must face the darkness residing inside each of us, waiting for the moment to present itself.

Director Melissa Firlit leads the cast in the endeavor of bringing The Pillowman, one of McDonagh’s toughest scripts, to life. Her previous work here should leave Pagosa with no doubt that she is up for the challenge. Melissa’s directorial debut here at Thingamajig Theatre Company was with Misterman (another incredibly dark but thought-provoking piece) followed by Red, A Picasso, and this summer’s The Secret Garden. McDonagh’s work demands an incredible commitment from the actors onstage, and perhaps even a taller order of bravery from the director. Moment to moment, Firlit has created a production that is one hundred percent true to the text, with a refusal to soften any edges.

The marriage of McDonagh’s daring words and Firlit’s fierce leadership come to fruition in the absolutely fearless cast. Thingamajig Theatre Company is proud to present such a fantastic and challenging piece of art to the community of Pagosa Springs. Whether you cry or laugh or find yourself huddled in your seat, you won’t regret the experience you have with some of the finest art in the region. Billed as the blackest of comedies, ‘The Pillowman’ (Rated R) runs through November 1.

Tickets are available by calling 731-SHOW or online at www.pagosacenter.org. Tickets are $28 in advance and $32 at the door. There is no show on Oct 31st – as the Center will be presenting the Monster’s Ball Bash… our highly anticipated costumed dance with the Jelly Belly’s Boogie Band.

October 9,10,15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30 at 7pm
October 11, 18, 25 at 2pm
(Also Nov 1 ‘The Pillowman’ at 2pm)