The Strauss Theatre is partnering with CA Studios to host the premiere of Stoneface: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Buster Keaton. The first performance will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 14, followed by a showing on Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. On Saturday, July 16, there will be two different performances. The first one will begin at 2 p.m. and the last one will begin at 7 p.m.
Buster Keaton is very well-known for silent films from which he got his start in acting. Because of the physical comedy and dangerous stunts, Keaton received many injuries during his career. Sam Coleman, playing Buster, said, "He broke his neck at one point and it was that way for a full year without him knowing it. He just had neck pains, didn't realize he had an entire fracture."
The story of Buster Keaton is about his quick rise to superstardom in the new medium of film. But following a decade of box office success, Keaton’s star began to fade, and alcoholism and despair began to rise. Stoneface imaginatively follows Keaton’s career by showing scenes of Keaton’s work as well as a younger Keaton confronting an older one. The story of Keaton’s struggle and eventual redemption resonates with anyone pursuing greatness in their work.
Monroe area native Vanessa Perkins Stewart wrote the play Stoneface as a birthday present to well-known actor French Stewart (Third Rock from the Sun and Mom). The award-winning play started at Sacred Fools Theatre and then moved to larger California venues.
During the pandemic, Stewart mentioned to Cathy Airhart Webb of CA Studio in Monroe her desire to see Webb direct one of her plays. The result is the CA Studio/Strauss Theatre Center collaboration of Stoneface.
More information and tickets are available at Strauss Theatre and 318-323-6681.