Upstairs Theatre Comes Out On Top With Its Production Of Eric Bogosian's 'subUrbia'. By Mari Wadsworth THE HOUSE WAS packed last Saturday at the Tucson Center for the Performing Arts, all eyes focused on the faux corner of a Kwik Mart parking lot. This level of participation, let alone expectation, is all too rare at these small, local productions. So far so good for Upstairs Theatre Co., which rolls into its fourth season with Eric Bogosian's subUrbia. The young company, one of whose stated goals is to get younger audiences hooked on theatre, seems to have done so with its latest production. Playwright Bogosian, one of the monologists to emerge from the New York performance art scene of the mid-'80s (along with the likes of Spalding Gray and Anne Magnuson), has earned a devoted following for his uncanny characterizations and amazing one-man performances. From radio shock-jock to high-powered businessman, middle-aged wizard of the backyard BBQ, to chain-smoking rock star, Bogosian is a master of locution and imitation. Thanks to Oliver Stone (who all but killed the film version of Bogosian's TalkRadio) and about 3,000 miles, however, local audiences may not have had the pleasure of seeing the performance artist, playwright and bit-part actor at his best. Not to worry--Upstairs Theatre Co. turns out an admirable adaptation that'll certainly entertain, if not enlighten. Departing from the sparse, propless set of a Bogosian performance, this one is fully staged with detailed set design by ATC's "wx." They've made great use of the small space, and the cozy paved corner--with its convenience store, pay phone, shrubbery and dumpster--is a chapter in suburbia hapless teens of any age will recall. The ensemble cast of UA theatre students and professionals works well together, giving the audience a sense of genuine affection between the characters. In spite of a few awkward moments where the sense of drama seems forced, the level of emotion stilted, this talented group--Marisa Ross as bored, idealistic Sooze, grinning Gabrial Nagy as Buff, Marty Papazian as Jeff, and Jonathan Ingbretson as the sidewalk cynic Tim--are believable and engaging. SubUrbia is a fast-paced slow day in Burnfield, in which a group of unlikely friends usurp a corner lot to debate their futures in a world that's "fucked up beyond belief," to drink beer, make-out, play basketball and act out the melodramas of their small but important lives. It's a place (in suburbia, in life) where community college dropouts who live with their parents have epiphanies like, "I can do anything if I don't really care what the result is." Definitely a play for the MTV generation. One imagines the intensity of improv acting is lost here in the details: Flickering fluorescent lights, foaming cans of beer constantly cracked open, and clear plastic shoes with orange socks certainly create a different backdrop for the dialogue-driven script. The knack for capturing the voice of each character, a trademark of Bogosian as performer, flags at times here. The dramatic scenes, in particular, invariably fall flat. As realistic as the mundane banter is between characters, scenes involving conflict seem entirely unreal, and the actors behave as though they themselves don't even take the wagging guns, racial slurs and romantic rejections seriously. But these are minor criticisms for a job well done. In his directorial debut with UTC, C. Edward Brown (production manager for UApresents) has a good sense of timing and capitalizes on his actors' obvious enthusiasm for the script. As with life outside the theatre, it's seldom the major crises and more the small details which seem to drive us forward, to even--if you'll pardon the expression--determine our lot in life. And at these moments, subUrbia shines--as reflective and gritty as wet pavement. Postscript: For those of you who don't normally read the playbill, be sure to see the review "Drama Club Brings Play To Ajo" there in the back. It's a hoot. Upstairs Theatre Co. presents subUrbia at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, January 23 through 25, and 2 p.m. Sunday, January 26, at the Tucson Center for the Performing Arts, 408 S. Sixth Ave. Tickets are $10, $6 for students. For more information on Eric Bogosian and UTC, see http://www.users.interport.net/~ararat or http://www.pfu.net/upstairs. Call 791-2263 for reservations and information.

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