It's one of the memorable moments in this Round House Theater production, a story of privilege and storytelling in the age of high-end television. With Salter's now feisty and arrogant Leslie radiating charisma and Gavigan's Andrew serving as an alternately menacing and hilarious foil, “A Jumping-Off Point'' explores representation, fairness, and power. It's entertainment that speaks to urgent questions.
Sure, it occasionally answers those questions without being subtle. But that candor feels like a deliberate choice by playwright and TV writer Craig Galvan, co-executive producer of ABC's “Will Trent.” When Andrew breaks into Leslie's living room, she is there to make explosive accusations that he plagiarized a screenplay Leslie wrote when they were classmates in graduate school.
We never learn much about the script, but the details of Leslie's HBO show are also infuriatingly vague and MacGuffin-esque. But it appears to be about black residents of the Mississippi Delta. Leslie considers Andrew's script a egregious example of cultural appropriation, and their conflict quickly escalates.
When Leslie insisted that this story wasn't for Andrew to tell, he angrily retorted: “Does anyone tell you not to write about men?” Or, given her height, “do you only write about women who are 5 feet 7 inches tall and have brown hair?”
Luckily, Craig-Galvan loves humor as well as discussion. Through deft pacing and spot-on casting, director Jade King Carroll ramps up the comedy as the play accelerates toward its final, ironic twist (no spoilers). In one joke, the unlucky Andrew admits that he has held down a series of odd day jobs, including as an upholsterer. This backstory becomes more interesting when he tries to use that experience to inform his writerly wisdom.
Gavigan gives a great performance, moving from exasperated menace to gross goofiness. The latter, accentuated by his first rumpled, backwards baseball cap look, adds a great deal of comedy. (Moenda Kremeka is the costume designer.) The actors' vulnerability emphasizes the play's empathy for its characters. Andrew has some moral authority on his side. He's also, painfully, a fish out of water in the world of high-flying showrunners conjured up by Megan Reham's set, complete with whiteboards and panel discussion setups in the writers' room.
The third actor, an integral part of the play, also brings both comedy and depth. Christina Pitter, who plays Leslie's resourceful friend Miriam, provides perspective on the story's central conflict. Miriam stuffs her face with the pancakes she's served at the breakfast meeting, calling them “so fluffy,'' while Leslie and Andrew keep fighting. Miriam also allows the play to explore the nuances of friendship. When the characters play with Leslie (usually joking around while drinking red wine), their affectionate relationship is touching.
“A Jumping-Off Point,” a tentpole offering at the Roundhouse's third annual National Capital New Play Festival, echoes Morgan Gould's sarcastic, feminist-laced “Jennifer Who” from last year's event. Like “Is Leaving,” it is primarily a deflection of social commentary. (This year's festival also includes several developmental readings.)
Moreover, at a time when the television industry often seems to poach theatrical talent, it's fun to glimpse that overlap through the eyes of Craig-Galvan, an achiever in both fields. Leslie is happy with her deal with HBO — or is she Max? —Still, I still have a fondness for the stage. She describes the style of community-based theater that she admires and makes Miriam sigh. It's about giving. ”
“A Jumping-Off Point” runs through May 5 at the Roundhouse Theater in Bethesda, Maryland. Approximately 90 minutes, no break. roundhousetheater.org.
