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review Kevin’s life is about to change. He’s married -- and he shouldn’t be. He’s gay, but he tries to put that reality out of his mind. Maybe it’ll confront him this evening: after all, the handsome landscaper his wife just hired is also the trick he recently picked up in a local park. Welcome to "Accidental Dancers" -- a strong, striking new play, now available upstairs at Long Beach Playhouse. It’s an involving three-character drama about love and the evolution of the self, a work Michel Foucault (who’s quoted in the program notes) would have admired. According to the program, this is Stephen Ludwig’s first full-length play -- that is, the first full-length play he has written. If this truly is his first opus, I hope more follow. The program says he’s been trained through South Coast Repertory and Orange County’s New Voices Playwrights Workshop, and he has a real mastery of storytelling. There are some signs of a first play here -- some of the scene endings are a little rough -- but Ludwig really knows his way with words. If only his protagonist Kevin (Christopher May) knew his way in life. Kevin’s not gay -- he’s not, he’s not, he’s not. He just happens to like a man once in a while; in fact, it feels "right." Enter John (Steve Johansen), the lawn boy. He may be only a semi-professional trick, but he’s a pro at psychology. He knows what Kevin wants, and who Kevin is: he’s Kevin’s chance for liberation, if only Kevin would see the light inside himself. Of course, life isn’t that simple. To decide who he is, Kevin has to examine who he’s pretending to be. He begins to question his marriage to the lovely Louise (Stephanie Geyer), whose first marriage was a nightmare and who tragically sees Kevin as the ideal man. Kevin claims he has married Louise for love, but it’s in Jonathan’s arms that he "feels right." Okay, veteran queer playgoer: have you seen this coming-out drama before? Well, possibly, but not written so smartly, not filled with such vital emotion and integrity. This is truly a passionate work, thanks not only to Ludwig’s powerful and intellectual writing but also to the effective and unobtrusive direction of Michael Ambrosio, who simply lets the actors rejoice in a good script. And rejoice they do. May convincingly portrays the torment of a man at war with himself; his scenes with Geyer and Johansen have a nice give and take. You can almost see him saying, "Let me think this through, please." Johansen and May make a convincing couple, and though Geyer’s character is more functional, she breathes a lot of life into the role, especially in a mighty Act Two struggle. Across the course of this play, it’s really wonderful to see a gay man and a straight woman talk about the marriage they could have had without a bunch of name-calling. It’s marvelous to see men caressing each other, kissing each other, and engaging in hot foreplay with smiles and affection - a beautiful portrayal of a healthy, healing relationship. Interestingly, a couple of critics have commented on the play’s "universal" appeal, more or less announcing: "Don’t be scared. This isn’t really a gay play -- it’s a play that could be about anyone." This is worthy of comment. First of all, "Accidental Dancers" most certainly is a gay play, or at the very least a gay-centered one. Its protagonist and antagonist are gay men; the focal point is an incipient homosexual relationship. I suppose the play seems "universal" to straight critics because its two male leads are not mincing, belittling, crying, or frequently nude. They love each other with words, not dildos. Perhaps straight critics are simply thrown into disbelief that such a gay relationship could exist; they therefore ascribe it to "universality." Love is love is love; let’s just accept it, shall we? "Accidental Dancers" does a fine job of asking two epic questions: "Who are we?" and "Who are we becoming?" The two questions I’m left with are: "Will Stephen Ludwig write more plays of this caliber?" and "When and where will they be produced?" "Accidental
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