Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
'Superior Donuts' Offers Delicious, if Familiar, Treats
Edi Gathegi and Gary Cole in "Superior Donuts." Photo - Michael Lamont
()
With his award-winning drama August: Osage County, playwright Tracy Letts was swinging for the bleachers, although only time will tell if he managed to knock it out of the park. It’s understandable that he’d try to create something lighter and funnier as a follow-up, and in Superior Donuts he has succeeded. Although this new play is somewhat familiar and slight, it’s also undeniably entertaining, and the current production at the Geffen Playhouse bolsters that with an expert cast and one lead performance that dazzles with charismatic humor.
Arthur (Gary Cole) owns and runs a donut shop in a declining neighborhood in Chicago. This doesn’t bother him, because he’s stopped caring much about life in general after a series of setbacks. Into this stasis barges young writer Franco (Edi Gathegi), who talks his way into a job at the shop. Franco’s relentlessly positive energy wakes Arthur up from his somnambulant life, to the extent that the older man tries to work up the courage to ask friendly lady cop Randy (Mary Beth Fisher) out on a date. Arthur in turn brings his maturity and experience to bear when he reads and praises Franco’s first unpublished novel. All is proceeding well until a problem from the past intrudes violently, and Arthur will either have to stand and fight or turn away once again into his solitude.
Cole anchors the play with seeming ease and does solid work as Arthur, but the role as written seems somehow incomplete and the character’s difficult past isn’t as moving as it was likely intended to be. Gathegi, on the other hand, is a joy to watch, a dynamo of comedy and charm. His performance is an assured and hilarious star turn, an unalloyed delight. Fisher is effective and low-key as the hopeful Randy, and Damon Gupton is gruffly amusing as her partner cop. Ron Bottitta (so good and so different in Rogue Machine’s recent The Sunset Limited) is blazingly funny as the well-meaning if pushy Russian businessman Max, and Paul Dillon brings subtlety and surprising moments of regret as loan shark Luther.
Director Randall Arney gets strong work from his cast and his pacing is mostly spot-on, excepting a long Act Two fight that overstays its welcome by a noticeable margin. Letts gives almost all of his characters unexpected aspects, which keeps things interesting, but his decision to have Arthur deliver his back story via solo monologues unfortunately doesn’t work very well. John Arnone’s realistic shop set, with elevated train tracks looming above it, is efficient and professionally wrought.
Support for LAist comes from
Superior Donuts is playing through July 10. Tickets are $47-$77 and are available online or via phone at (310) 208-5454.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist