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1330 North Scottsdale Road Scottsdale, AZ
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SHOTS: A LOVE STORY (2007 Production)
NAMED A TOP TEN PRODUCTION OF 2007 BY THE EAST VALLEY TRIBUNE!
"A summer surprise, actor John Caswell Jr's semi-autobiographical, highly experimental, scared-straight drama about the destructive force of alcoholism proved powerful without being didactic." -Chris Page, East Valley Tribune
SHOTS: A LOVE STORY is a work in progress written and directed by John J. Caswell, Jr. It received its world premiere August 31st through September 2nd 2007 in Mesa, AZ. The piece is a semi-autobiographical abstraction of the author's experiences with alcoholism. Set in an arcade shooting gallery during the winter of a very bad year when rooms spun and organs failed, SHOTS follows a woman through the ups and downs of the abusive relationship that is her addiction. Personification of addiction occurs when a parallel is drawn between the struggles of the physically abused partner and the struggles of the addict. Like the beaten woman, the addict returns to their drug regardless of potential consequences. Through repeated attempts at leaving "him" she is assisted by two others who serve as malleable servants of her psyche. The two others enable, restrict, warn, and relive her plight serving as progressers of the story. Staying many intentional miles away from
sentiment and self-pity, SHOTS is not a play with a deliberately clear educational message or specific aim for social service.
An after school special this is not. An extensive account of process is being written and will be published on this website at a future date.
Promo using footage from first production...
FEEDBACK:
It was really good to see your and the company's work. It had great integrity. The exploration was painfully honest, thorough and free of self-pity; the company's collaboration was as intelligent as it was imaginative and rigorous, free of indulgences and vanity. I very much appreciated it.
Once again, congratulations and thanks to you and the company. Keep up the good work.--Gitta Honegger
Some very strong work in SHOTS. It's a challenging and complicated
piece, and I am very impressed with the sophistication and structural patterns, and your ensemble creation and interaction. Some truly arresting visual/physical designs and images.
--Jeff McMahon
It stired people, it made an impression. We talked about it all the way home figuring it out. It touched our hearts and moved us for all of you who suffer from
this affliction.--Judy Stewart
I am really, really proud of you guys!! You really put yourselves out there and took huge risks which was thrilling to see. You created a world that I feel you fully explored. Your physicality was fantastic! I am really excited that you guys are doing this kind of work - experimenting in fresh and exciting ways! Keep going!--Rachel Bowditch
Your work showed immense courage and touched me more than I could have anticipated. It's still on my mind ~ you connected to my experience with alcohol and addiciton. Alcoholism has been part of my life since I was a wee child, and my co-dependent recovery is just beginning. Thank you for sharing your feelings about addiciton.
It's powerful!--Karen Stewart
The piece was smart, assaulting and addictive. So appreciated the energy of ensemble, the commitment to the work: the life, breath, sweat and guts of the performers, bared and beating on stage. So looking forward to more of your work, I thank you for it. --Laura Dougherty
