[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre review of Texas Sodomy: The Incredible True Story of Lawrence v. Texas, written and directed by Howard Skora, at Whitefire Theatre, September 10–October 24.
Howard Skora has premiered an astounding five plays at The Whitefire Theatre, and I have seen all of them! Super fan or just lucky? What all these plays have in common, apart from, of course, their illustrious author, is that they detail the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Sad, funny, broken, angry, desperate, annoying, outraged…and everything in between.
All of this wonderful drama is written in poetic, meaningful and deeply divine humor with characters as wild as they are real.
Skora’s latest play, Texas Sodomy, chronicles the real-life story of John Lawrence and Tyron Garner. Arrested in Houston in 1998 under the homosexual conduct law, they became huge heroes of gay activism as their weird case ended up at the Supreme Court, making sodomy a legal right for gay Americans. Apparently being straight already preserved the right to sodomy in America…good to know, I guess.
The fact that John Lawrence and Tyron Garner were not even lovers and were actually asleep in separate rooms when the door was broken down is the Texas twist to this often hilarious and wildly entertaining play. In fact, it was Tyron’s boyfriend who called the police and reported the “crime” in a drunken jealous rage, even though John Lawrence was his best friend and he knew well enough that nothing was going on. It is these thrilling and ridiculous details amongst many other equally ridiculous ones that turn a simple story of American oppression into something more interesting. What kind of country would have police breaking down someone’s front door in the middle of the night without a warrant just in case two men were in the act? And then arresting them even though they quite clearly were not!
As the story unfolds, we learn all about the lives of John Lawrence and Tyron Garner as gay men living in Texas. Soon after the arrest, they were approached by civil rights lawyers, eager for a high-profile case, who convinced them to plead no contest to this misdemeanor, even though it would mean years of battles in court after court on the off chance that the case might make its way to the Supreme Court. Two more reluctant plaintiffs there never were. With the jealous boyfriend now jealous of all the attention they were getting, even though it was mostly far from positive, the often John Waters-like behavior teeters on the brink of surreal. But what incredible characters they are. Not just the plaintiffs, but their lawyers and the wildly inappropriate judges – untrained, unrepentant and unqualified. And yet in many ways it is their ineptitude that almost guaranteed that this case found its way to Washington to change two men and American law, paving the way for more rights and eventually even marriage equality.
Think of it. Two struggling, hungover gay men in a sad apartment with nothing more on their minds than work or bills or clubbing or TV or just getting by. That they could even consider being more important to the world than that, or even coming out to their families or at work without risking everything. Texas Sodomy is an absolutely brilliant and hilarious heartfelt piece of theatre. The performances by these truly incredible actors take us right back to those sweaty Houston days with overflowing ashtrays and old beer bottles, loud music from cheap speakers, laundry days and extra shifts. This story could have happened anywhere, but it sure fits Texas. These men made history, then went back to their lives and died younger than they should have. They knew who they were, and their destinies, and I believe that it was all the more heroic of them to risk everything because of that.
Texas Sodomy is a wonderfully sweet retelling of an epic era in America.
Just before the start of a new century, when most of us were paranoid about clocks not working past 1999 and losing all our data on our floppy discs. These guys did something truly great and for no more reward than a thank you and a one-day Washington march on the Supreme Court. John Lawrence got the news of his win while he was sweeping up at his new job after losing his hospital tech job because of the case, and Tyron Garner was already gone.
Small things really can lead to big change. The humblest among us really do mean everything, and as much as these laws are under pressure and being picked away at, they still exist and so do millions and millions of people whose lives were literally saved in every conceivable sense because of them.
What an utter joy to see a play about this. Beautifully written, sublimely performed and flawlessly produced, Texas Sodomy is yet another Howard Skora triumph, as if I would expect anything less from this brilliant mind.
Bravo, bravo bravo!!!!!
Tickets:
https://howardskora.com/texas-sodomy
Where:
The Whitefire Theatre
13500 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks
When:
September 10–October 24
Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 7pm (September 20 & 27)
Sunday at 2pm (October 4, 11, 18).
The Texas Sodomy Cast
The cast will feature Drew Droege along with (in alphabetical order) Jabari, Matt McConkey, Celeste Pechous, Aaron Tone, Tom Trudgeon, and Dylan Vox. Scott Victor Nelson is principal cover. Alternate for the role of Tyron Garner is Deonte Marcel, who will appear in two October performances, dates to be announced.
The Team
Scenic design is by Charlie Harris and Dusti Cunningham, lighting and sound designs are by Mitch Rosander, costume design is by Ben Phen and Aaron Mendoza, and projection design is by John Knowles. Mitch Rosander also serves as stage manager and assistant director. Casting is by Michael Donovan, CSA, and Richie Ferris, CSA.