Theater Schmeater's The Twilight Zone: LIVE!: Pure & Simple

It is hard to explain just how big a phenomenon Theater Schmeater's live stagings of a large number of The Twilight Zone episodes were in this town. Every show in their season would feature two episodes, presented as a late night production, four episodes would be mounted in the summer. Audience demand was fervent, with attendees hooting and stomping their feet the moment the lights faded and the instantly recognizable theme played over the speakers. Merchandise was bought, bar licenses obtained, grants were awarded -- it would be fair to say that, without the sustained success of the Zone during the 90s, the company known as The Schmee wouldn't be around today.

That was some time ago, and after nearly twenty years, the company has produced many of the episodes they own the rights to several times over. Some of these productions were more worthy than others; as with many things, overexposure led to a lazy reliance on formula and camp to keep the shows entertaining. So when the Schmee decides to mount an evening's worth of episodes, one has to wonder whether it is a worthwhile endeavor, or if they are simply milking a cash cow for everything it is worth. Is there still a valid reason to revisit this material?

If the Schmee's current run of Twilight Zone episodes is anything to go by, the answer is a simple "yes." Truthfully, this comes as something of a relief, because if there was anything the fallow years have shown, it's that it is quite easy to turn these small moral fables into shrill, shallow entertainments (though to be fair, not all scripts were created equal).

Instead, director Tim Moore (who reprises his role as series creator and narrator Rod Serling during the show,) has selected three of the more potent episodes from the canon -- lean straightforward tales that would cannily reflect any given period after their creation, but seem especially suited to address the concerns of today. The strength of these stories lay in how plainly they go about delivering their slightly left-leaning, but generally moderate cautionary messages; it comes across as comedy, though upon reflection, it is impressive that Rod Serling and his team of SF writers got away with the things they say.

The three episodes being presented were all written by Rod Serling, they serve as a sample platter of his clever, mordant wit. The Obsolete Man is ostensibly about a futuristic man whose existence is called into question, but is clearly about the dangers of an encroaching government -- one can only imagine the intent behind the line "the state has deemed religion to be obsolete" and its effect on the post-Joe McCarthy/Red Scare audience in 1961. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, perhaps the simplest of the evening's offerings, cautions against letting fear and mob mentality run our decision making.

Sandwiched between these classic episodes, there's Time Enough At Last (quite possibly this correspondent's favorite Twilight Zone), which is about as complex as the evening gets. For the unfamiliar, it starts out as being about a bookworm whose pleasure in reading is disrupted by other people everywhere he goes; how the story gets from there to its haunting little ending will remain unspoiled.

Clearly, these are the Aesop's Fables of the modern age, and those searching for a more challenging evening's entertainment should look elsewhere. This is popcorn entertainment, its rewards are pure and easy to access. Part of that reward comes with the length of the production; these are "half-hour" TV episodes, which means that by the time the show's done, only 90 minutes have transpired -- including intermissions.

Another part of that reward is the work by Moore's fine ensemble, which features the likes of Lisa Viertel, John Q. Smith, and Jon Lutyens among others. Dedicated to Moore's unfussy staging and design elements, they all get to shine together during Monsters. The evening's highlight, however, is Rob Burgess who gives two distinct performances as the central focal point of Obsolete Man and Time Enough, especially in the latter.

It is clear from all aspects of the production that everyone is enjoying themselves (check out the aliens aboard their spaceship in Monsters). That, along with Serling's words delivered faithfully and reverently, is what should be expected from these productions. Not that future productions have to strictly adhere to this formula, just that if the norm were to be deviated from, it should be done to count for something.

After the bad years of seeing this property handled haphazardly, it is good to see Moore and company do it justice. These are quick engaging stories delivered with verve and fond admiration. Recommended for those looking for a fun time out, and hurry, tickets are going fast.

Thursday - Saturday at 8:00 p.m. through 4/16 // Theater Schmeater, 1500 Summit Avenue // $10 - $22, tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets