It’s approximately 605 flying miles from Baltimore to Chicago, and playwright Ira Gamerman uses this span of distance to contemplate the long-haul relationship in his play Midway. Produced locally by Naughty Zanni Productions—which has been performing fun, edgy plays since 2008—the one-weekend run is the first play in Sugar Space’s “Self Produced Indies Series.”
The story follows David, who quits his data-entry day job and moves to Chicago to follow his dream of improv comedy. Just before leaving, he drunkenly hooks up with a co-worker, Catherine, and they try to make a relationship work. However, when he returns to Baltimore months later, things go awry.
Naughty Zanni co-founder Eb Madson calls Ira Gamerman “the indie-rock playwright of this generation” because he writes poignant, unconventional plays. For instance, in Midway, Gamerman breaks down the fourth wall as his characters talk to the audience, who can also hear their sometimes-tumultuous inner monologues. Madson says, “People will definitely identify with the show”—and laugh, too.
Midway @ Sugar Space Studio for the Arts, 616 Wilmington Ave. (2190 South), 888-300-7898, Dec. 9-12, 8 p.m., $10. TheSugarSpace.com