Human being crave social interaction. Whether it be a Super Bowl party, movie screenings or game nights, we are constantly seeking reasons to gather. Book clubs are another popular activity. A good book discussed by a small group of friends, probably sharing an adult beverage. What a lovely way to spend an evening.
But what if the group dynamic is upset? In Karen Zacarias’ “The Book Club Play,” presented by Port Arthur Little Theatre, June 7-9, the carefully structured evening unravels when one of the participants brings an unexpected guest.
Director John Craig said the play, which he describes as a romantic comedy, is about interpersonal relationships, and people adjusting to the gaining power and losing power within their lives.
“(They’re) sparking new friendships and rekindling old ones, but with a few laughs in between,” he said. “It’s how they get there in the romance, which the funny thing.”
The play takes place in the living room of Ana and Rob. The book club is the subject of a reality-show style documentary by Lars Knudsen and the production makes the audience is given the familiar reality show tropes.
The book club’s other regular members are Will, Jen and Lily. Rob attends the club to appease is wife although he does not share Ana’s literary sensibilities, often not even reading the books.
Sarah Lisenby plays Ana, who is the driving force behind the book club and definitely sets the rules.
“She likes things to be a certain way,” Lisenby said. “She likes the conversation to be enlightened.”
When Jen invites literature professor Alex to the meeting — without going through Ana’s vetting process — the group dynamic shifts and the members, especially Ana, must navigate more than the plot of the book.
“Things just sort of stop going according to (Ana’s) plan and it’s not good for her mental health,” Lisenby said. “(Alex) does know a lot about books, but he has very different opinions on what constitutes good literature, and Ana’s like, hold on a minute. But then everyone else starts agreeing with him.”
Lisenby said she attends a book club, but she is more like Jen than Ana.
“Jen’s a little more chill,” Lisenby said. “She loves reading for the sake of reading. She likes talking about books. It’s just a way to be social with other people who like books,(it) doesn’t have to be highbrow books. She got all those opinions that Ana thinks are not enlightened when it comes to literature, but Ana allow it because she likes books.”
Michael Nash Jr. plays the pundits, a Greek chorus of characters that appear to comment on the twists and turns of the plot. The characters range from an old lady to a secret service agent.
“They are foreshadowing,” Nash said. “Like for the secret service agent. He foreshadows one of the characters that’s gonna pop up out of nowhere.”
Lisenby said she hopes that as well as being entertained, audiences will leave the theater thinking about what constitutes literature.
“‘Twilight’ is one of the books and a lot of people do not consider ‘Twilight’ to be very good literature,” Lisenby said. “I see the points there, I do, but then I think I’ve learned a little bit about how to see ‘Twilight’ as literature from this. There’s some interesting plays on what really is literature. What makes a book club? “
The ensemble also includes Will Parthum, Carson Lewis, Ben Porter, M. Bartlett, Ashley Guillory, Michael Vu and Jenny Hamilton.
Craig said the play is funny but also has a message about relationships.
“All of us are human, and we all have good faults and bad faults but together as a group, and as supportive casts in our lives, we can all manage to get by,” Craig said.
PALT is located at 4701 Jimmy Johnson Blvd. in Port Arthur. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m., June 7-8, and 2:30 p.m., June 9. For tickets, visit palt.org or call 409-727-PALT.
This story first ran in the June 2, 2024 Art of Living section of The Beaumont Enterprise.
English with a bit of Texas 