It's Derby Day in Hot Springs, and the Ballard brothers have a luxury box at Oaklawn. Their father just died and Frank, the oldest, has flown down from Chicago to see the angry newlywed, Ned, and the ex-con, Johnny.
Over the course of one long day, the Ballard boys destroy everything and everyone in their way -- drinking, cursing and revealing family secrets that might just tear them apart forever.
Playwright Samuel Brett Williams explores family, love and mortality in his dark comedy, which culminates in a race the play's audience will never forget.
Williams is an award-winning playwright and director. His plays have been developed and produced at venues including the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference, New York Theatre Workshop, the Kennedy Center, Yale University, Arkansas Rep, the Joseph Beuys Theater in Moscow, Russia, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Scotland.
He directed "Derby Day" at Elephant Theatre Company in Los Angeles, where it received rave reviews and was a Los Angeles Times Critics Pick. Williams is now in preproduction for a feature film debut, "The Revival," based on his play.
Showings scheduled for "Derby Day" are at 7 p.m. April 30, May 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9, with 2 p.m. matinees running May 3 and 10. All performances will be at Low Key Arts, 118 Arbor St., as part of the upcoming Arts & The Park festival.
Tickets may be preordered for $10 at http://www.prekindle.com/events/reddoorstudios and are $15 at the door on show days.
Entertainment on 04/17/2015