What happens when a guest starring alien on Star Trek Voyager ventures home for a family pig roast deep in the heart of red-state-rural Indiana?

Write Act Rep in Hollywood proudly welcomes you to Star Trek, Indiana.  Written by Ben Livingston and directed by Brian Rich, this acclaimed show humorously examines the resilience of family bonds as they get stretched across an ever-widening cultural gulf.

Star Trek Indiana gives new meaning to the word alienation as Ben treks through a maze of NASCAR lovin’ cousins eager to recreate their favorite scenes from Star Trek, super-sized alien-obsessed security guards, Lynyrd Skynyrd karaoke freaks, and one rock solid uncle, all in search of some connection to his mother’s past.

THE BUZZ...

Star Trek, Indiana
by Jacob Clark, Metro LA

Write Act Repertory Company's one-man comic revue of red-state characters, Star Trek, Indiana by Ben Livingston has been extended through mid-April, and for good reason.

The laughs are deep in this tale of an actor who plays an alien on Star Trek Voyager who then travels back to his home state of Indiana, where his proud but zany relatives celebrate his success the day before a big family pig roast.

With photographic projections of the actual relatives portrayed to back him up, Livingston skewers a self-described hillbilly who enjoys rap, his aunt and uncle, a rotund security-guard cousin and the hillbilly's buddy in raucous vignettes. The portraits aren't in the least mean-spirited, on the contrary they are filled with affection and warmth. Throughout the play, remembrances of the actor's deceased mother provide heartrending moments among the general hilarity.

The play excels where so many one-person plays fail, in that his real-life characters are actually fascinating. One-person autobiography can be embarrassingly slight, as one's own life is usually less interesting to others than to self. Also, although the play showcases Livingston's considerable talents, whether for acting, writing, lip-syncing a rap song or playing a mean set of air-drums, it stands as a play in its own right, which could be performed, sans photos, by other actors. The characters are so individually drawn and specifically written, that they would stand the test of interpretation.

Write Act has emerged this season as a theatre that takes big risks that result in big payoffs. Whether investigating Kafka in a startling and theatrical medium or discovering the value in a rarely produced Shakespeare play, while continuing a commitment to engaging new plays, it is certainly something to consider for next year's subscription season, not yet announced.

RECOMMENDED Plays: Sun at 4 pm at Write Act Repertory Theatre, located on the grounds of St. Stephen¹s Episcopal Church, 6128 Yucca St., Hollywood. Reservations: 323-860-8894.

Ralph Garman of KROQ’s Kevin and Bean Show  “…this show is F@%$ING FUNNY!... Hee Haw’ on crystal-meth…”

Houston Chronicle “...in his briskly paced solo piece, "Star Trek, Indiana", Ben Livingston boldly goes where no redneck has gone before....heartbreakingly funny...”                                    

Ben Livingston was most recently seen on stage in A Noise Within’s production of The Homecoming by Harold Pinter. Other area credits include: Noises Off at The Pasadena Playhouse, Cloud 9 at The Hudson Mainstage, Love’s Labours Lost and the Merry Wives of Windsor at The Old Globe in San Diego, Gross Indecency at The Mark Taper Forum, Arcadia, New England, Hayfever, and Our Country’s Good at South Coast Rep. Film and TV credits include: Bruce Almighty, Frasier, ER, Malcolm in the Middle, Ally McBeal, Freaks and Geeks, and strangely enough, Star Trek Voyager.

Write Act Theatre is located at 6128 Yucca Street - Hollywood (3 blocks East of the Historic Landmark Bldg- Capitol Records.) (FREE PARKING on the south side of St Stephen's Church). Tickets are $12.00 per person ($10 students, seniors & group of 5 or more.)

LA Premiere of Write Act Repertory’s Spotlight Series in Hollywood

This one-two punch combination constitutes the opening of the Write Act Repertory’s new Spotlight Series, featuring top Write Act Rep artists performing their original one-person shows. Developed by Ben Livingston and Wendy Gough, respectively, each show offers a variety of rich characters and diverse topics.

Write Act Rep’s Producing Artistic Director, John Lant, points out “ Any artist who produces pertinent material and script strength to produce a one-person show is to be applauded. To find a true calling of a singular performance message is an intimate experience for both the audience and the performer. I am proud that Write Act Rep can produce a series such as this, with the added bonus of two of Los Angeles’ most gifted artists being in the Write Act company.”