Steel Beam's 'Yankee Tavern' explores darker side of 9/11 conspiracies

Conspiracy theories — especially those having to do with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — drive the action in Steven Dietz's thriller “Yankee Tavern,” which opens Friday, Jan. 15, at Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles.

Tales spun by Ray, the main character, are at the center of the play and characters' interactions.

“He (Ray) is in his early 60s and he is a denizen of this soon-to-be-condemned bar in New York City where he has worked every day for about 40 years. And he has a passion for Irish whiskey and beer and conspiracy theories,” said R. Scott Purdy of St. Charles, who plays Ray.

“He is incredibly intelligent but has spent an awful lot of time in the bottle,” Purdy continued. “He tells fascinating stories that people find unbelievable, but sometimes there is just enough for people to think, 'Oh my gosh.'”

“'Yankee Tavern' has the complexity of the relationship of conspiracy theories and how they effect us generally and, in this play, how they effect us physically,” said Bernie Weiler of Lombard, director of the play and Steel Beam Theatre board member.

“We have wanted to do 'Yankee Tavern' for years,” Weiler said. “It's fabulously written and very thought-provoking. We like to find things that reflect (society) very strongly and 'Yankee Tavern' falls within that criteria.”

The thriller has its challenges where the actors are concerned.

“It's densely written, so the demands on the actors are very high, particularly for the character of Ray, because he has a number of unconnected monologues that are very demanding for an actor,” Weiler said. “It doesn't have linear conversation where it progresses. It hops from subject to subject.”

“Breathing is the issue,” Purdy said. “(Ray) doesn't shut up for about an hour and a half; memorizing that much dialogue is a challenge.”

“He's big into the conspiracies and the corruption, and he starts to bring up some points that Janet can't fully ignore,” said Chicago resident Brenna Welsh of her character, Janet. Welsh describes Janet as: “ … incredibly dynamic. She's a very strong woman, she knows what she believes and she knows what she wants. She rides the spectrum from a skeptic to a full-blown believer to a victim.”

Lombard resident Benedict Slabik, who plays Adam, Ray's son and Janet's graduate student fiancé, credits Weiler with helping him to see the complexity of his character.

“I had read it before I was cast and had an idea of what it would be, working with Bernie, and I kept some of those aspects but explored some that I didn't think (were) possible.”

“In the script, he seems to be very quick to dismiss things and gets angry a bit more,” said Slabik. “But, when you get into it you find that anger stems from various other emotions, whether it be sadness or lack of care and it's not anything that I actually explored.”

Weiler feels certain he's found a cast that can “deliver the mail” in the multilayered, dense piece of theater written by Dietz, a widely produced and published contemporary playwright who is on the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin.

“We found (actors) and people who love the play, which is important as well, to me,” Weiler said.

“The cast is just wonderful and spectacular and it's been a pleasure to work with them,” added Slabik. “The show grips you until the final moments when you need to know what happens with these characters.”

Those who dedicate themselves to ferreting out every conspiracy and those who aren't likely to believe any of them can sit side by side to enjoy “Yankee Tavern.”

“Anyone who can read a newspaper will enjoy this play,” Weiler said.

“Forget everything you thought you knew about 9/11 and come learn some new stuff for yourself,” Welsh added.

The show runs through Feb. 7 and tickets cost $22-$28. For details and tickets, see www.steelbeamtheatre.com.

“Yankee Tavern”

<b>When:</b> 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 15-Feb. 7

<b>Where:</b> Steel Beam Theatre, 111 Main St., St. Charles, <a href="http://www.steelbeemtheatre.com">www.steelbeemtheatre.com</a> or (630) 587-8521

<b>Tickets:</b> $22-$28