STAGEStheatre is a non-profit organization, that strives to cultivate the theatrical arts by working with local schools and organizations to provide educational opportunities, along with internships for student artists and technicians. They are constantly evolving, creating a venue for actors, directors, writers, designers and artists with a creative environment and a wide array of opportunities at all “stages” of the process.

To begin it’s 18th year, STAGEStheatre is performing the West Coast premiere of Joshua through the month of January. Joshua begins with Faye, a young woman who has spent the last year in the city, returning to her small town, to help her sister, Luetta, take care of their mother, who has been ill. Awaiting her return is her former boyfriend, Ace, although she’s not too thrilled about seeing him again, being as he was a major part of her leaving. It’s Faye and Ace’s disparate views on the town’s healer, Joshua that causes conflict not only between them, but amongst many members of the town as secrets best left hidden are brought to light, forever changing everyone.

For me, the strongest part of Joshua was the acting. Ken Dalena’s Joshua is a calm, God-fearing, harmless man, yet he has been this blessing and curse of a power which seems to bring the worst out of some, and the fear from most. You can sense the quiet intelligence of Joshua–that he may be a man from a small town and doesn’t hold the knowledge of the big city folk, but he’s no simpleton either. Of the characters, he’s the most aware–being the keeper of dark secrets gives him part of this advantage (or disadvantage–with Joshua, many things are this double-edge sword), but even in moments of silence you get the sense of gears turning in his head. He seems conflicted over his power, wanting desperately for it to be God’s work, but all evidence seems to point to the contrary.

Joshua’s antithesis, is Ace, played by Chad Glazener, who does a wonderful job playing the troublemaking, yet charming man, who is clearly in love with Faye, and is trying everything to win her back. However, the one thing he will not do is join her approval of Joshua. He sees him as a crock, all show but nothing ever coming from it; and when he does have an idea of what Joshua is doing, he plans on showing the supposed healer’s true colors to the town. Although he doesn’t have all the facts straight, and the final moments of the play show the world’s (God’s?) cruel irony (or perhaps karma?) working.

To purchase tickets to see Joshua please visit STAGEtheater’s website here