A Red Orchid Theatre is bringing its 20thseason to a close with a play by Illinois native Sam Shepard and a cast of nearly all ensemble members, including A Red Orchid's co-founders Michael Shannon and Guy Van Swearingen.
"Simpatico," with direction by Red Orchid's Dado, is now out of the gate and the tragic-comedy set among the backdrop of the thoroughbred racing industry – one with big winners and big losers – is a gripping tale of how love, greed, youth and lust can lead to snap decisions with life-long consequences.
For Carter (Shannon) that complication is his once-best friend and race-fixing partner Vinnie (Swearingen), who is a constant reminder of his shady entry into the racing industry – where is he now rich and powerful – 15 years earlier.
Vinnie still has photographs and correspondence that incriminate Carter and his wife, Rosie (Jennifer Engstrom), in a blackmail scheme against Simms (Doug Vickers), California's racing commissioner who stumbled upon and threatened to end their lucrative fixes.
The evidence of course incriminates Vinnie as well, but with so much less to lose, he still uses the shoebox of photos and letters to lure Carter from Kentucky to California when he is lonely or in trouble.