55 years after its New York debut, Truckline Cafe by Pulitzer Prize winner Maxwell Anderson makes its Los Angeles premiere Nov. 9-Dec. 16 at the William Alderson Studio Theatre. Alderson, for whom the studio is named, directs the revival.
In its 1946 Broadway, Marlon Brando and Karl Malden starred in a company formed by Harold Clurman and Elia Kazan. The Truckline Cafe is a trucker's diner situated between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. In the years directly after World War II, returned soldiers and the spouses they once left behind are still struggling with the psychological wounds of war. Anderson won his Pulitzer for 1933 for Both Our Houses. He's best known for Key Largo, The Bad Seed, "Death Takes A Holiday" and the librettos to Lost in the Stars and Knickerbocker Holiday.
Silas Weir Mitchell ("24," "The Practice") stars with Rosemary Boyce, Trevor Long and Leslie Stevens, who also choreographed. Completing the company are Kristy Caylor, Janet Chamberlin, Nick Cleland, Kenneth Francisco Colom, Julie Dolan, Michele Fortier, Robert J. Gilman, David Heymann, Melanie Haro, Kara Keeley, Jason Landau, Christopher Neiman, Stephen O'Mahoney, Ben Rourke, Christopher Prizzi, Tony Roman, Patrick Skelton, Warren Sweeney and Amy Wares.
Designing the show are Desiree Rhine (costumes) and Joshua Jade (lighting) with original video footage by Jeff McCracken.
Tickets are $12. The William Alderson Studio Theatre is located at 821 North Fairfax Avenue in West Hollywood. For reservations, call (323) 852-1816. — By Christine Ehren
