MARTIANS – AN EVENING WITH RAY BRADBURY by Carol Kaufman Segal

            Ray Bradbury (August 22, 1920 – June 5, 2012) was an American author whose work included books, short stories, plays, and screenplays, either horror stories, mystery fiction, and science fiction. He authored over 600 short stories and over 30 books, winning numerous awards, including a 2007 Pulitzer Citation.

            Martians – An Evening With Ray Bradbury is a play that brings Ray Bradbury back to life on the stage, in the form of actor playwright Charlie Mount, at the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks.  Written by Mount and Jeff G. Rack (who also directs the production), it takes the audience on a visit to Mars.  Much of the wording comes from Bradbury’s own words

            Ray Bradbury (Charlie Mount) reveals four of his short stories to his audience by also bringing his characters to life on stage.  You see a space ship take off (via projected films) and arrive on the planet bringing a young couple coming to settle on Mars (Michael Perl and Melissa Lugo).  The story of the couple’s plight is based on The Strawberry Window.  His story, the Blue Bottle, is about two soldiers of fortune (Paul Gunning and Joe Seely), who have come in search of the famous Blue Bottle of Mars.  Father Niven (Eric Keitel) traps a Martian who reshapes himself in the form of Christ (John T. Cogan) from The Mesiah.   Night Call, Collect reveals the last man on Mars, Old Barton (Don Moss), who is left alone with no way to communicate except by recordings of his younger self (Richard Mooney).  The cast also includes Robert Paterno (The Searcher/The Martian)   

            This is not the first time Charley Mount has portrayed Ray Bradbury.  He played him in a production of The October Country and produced his play, Falling Upward, both at Theatre West.  His portrayal of the man is very credible.  The entire production has an aura of being somewhere other than Earth (production design by Jeff G. Rack).    

            If you are an aficionado of Ray Bradbury, you definitely will not want to miss this production at the Whitefire Theatre playing Fridays at 8 PM, through Nov. 7, with one Saturday night performance, Nov. 10, at 8 PM.  Tickets are available online at www.whiltefiretheatre.com, or by phone at (800) 838-3006.  The Whitefire Theatre is located at 13500 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks.