The Hopper Collection

Humorous 'Hopper' not afraid to look at dark side

by Dwayne Steward
Entertainment Coordinator
The Advocate
April 10, 2008

The Evolution Theatre Company premiered its first project, “Stone Cold Dead Serious,” in January to rave reviews and a few packed houses. This weekend the group hopes to do it again with Matt Smart’s “The Hopper Collection,” a story that takes a comic and tragic look at the life-imitating-art philosophy.

Offering a modern twist on Edward Albee’s classic “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, the play chronicles an evening with wealthy middle-aged couple Marjorie (Ellen Knolls) and Daniel (Dan Welsh) as they entertain younger couple Edward (Billy Earnhart) and Sarah (Megan Lynch), brought together over Marjorie’s original Edward Hopper painting “Summer Evening.”

“The painting means something different to each one of them,” said Drew Eberly, 29, the play’s director by night and Ohio Dominican admission’s counselor by day. “The couples also deal with a certain amount of deception, which brings to question the concept of illusion versus reality.”

Though revolving around one setting over an evening, “Hopper’s” dark comedy offers intense humor and engaging flawed characters, Eberly said.

“Marjorie is a little wacky,” said Knolls, 42, a local model and mother of three. “She’s really unhappy … she started taking pills and tried to kill her husband.”

The characters’ witty banter and dark secrets are just a few of the plays highlights, Welsh said.

“Everyone can relate to it, at its core it’s a story about a middle-aged couple. Everybody can laugh at it,” said Welsh, 43, an Otterbein University grad and self-employed computer database consultant. “There are definite moments when you might catch yourself laughing when you think you shouldn’t be.”

The Evolution Theatre Company presents “The Hopper Collection” as a prelude to its 2008-09 season, which will include four new shows in September, January, April and June.

“Goal in the short term is to bring new exacting work to Columbus,” said Paul Lockwood, 49, company founder and original director. “Next season is going to bring shows that are Ohio, Midwest and one may even be a world premiere.”

Lockwood came to Columbus four years ago after running theater companies in New York and Philadelphia. When he noticed a semi-professional acting void, he decided to fill it.

“A lot of people don’t realize what a jewel this place is,” Lockwood said. “We want to become a fixture in the cultural scene here.”

“The Hopper Collection” opens at 8 p.m. Thursday through April 19 at MadLab Theatre, 105 N. Grant Ave., Columbus. Tickets are $8 and $10. Call (614) 221-5418 or visit www.evolutiontheatre.org or www.madlab.net for more information.

Click HERE to read my review of "The Hopper Collection."