THE WHOLE CAST: (L-R) Andrew Guilarte, Christopher Larkin, Cindy Cheung, Tim Cain, Kavi Ladnier, Jay J. Lee, and Sam Ghosh in “Seven.11 Convenience Theatre 2009: The Final Year.” ((Jeff McCrum))
Each piece is 11 minutes long and all are set in a 7-Eleven convenience store somewhere in the United States.
Taking responsibility for one's actions in the central theme of Rehana Mirza's "What's in Store." Steve (Andrew Guilarte) and longtime companion Laura (Cindy Cheung) stop in to pick up some snacks and run into his old girlfriend, Joanna (Kavi Ladnier). Laura, the possessive and jealous type, doesn't get along with the more laid-back Joanna, and it isn't long before she storms out in a huff. Shortly thereafter, the seemingly ambivalent Steve is taken to task by Joanna for the way he ended their relationship. A sharp-edged curtain-raiser, with an interesting twist at the end, Cheung's performance gets high marks for her depiction of a self-absorbed and rather insecure woman.
Change is another theme prevalent in many of the stories—such as Vishakan Jeyakumar's "Raj Against the Machine," with the machine, in this case, referring to American society in general. Tired of the racial prejudice he seems to encounter everyday, Sri Lanka store owner Raj (Guilarte) is selling his shop and moving on. It's up to his close friend Dushawn (Tim Cain) to make Raj see how much he means to people. Played mainly for laughs, with some serious overtones, the two have good chemistry, with Guilarte providing some hilarious—and very nonpolitically correct—moments. It also features Christopher Larkin.
In "Soonderella," authors Samrat Chakrabarti & Sanjiv Jhaveri offer a new (and musical) twist on a beloved fairy tale. Soonderella (Ladnier) leads an endless life of drudgery at a store run by Helen Anti (Cheung), when it's announced that Prince Charming Singh (a hilarious scenery-chewing turn by Guilarte) is looking for a wife. However, Soonderella instead falls for the prince's manservant Foffatlal (Sam Ghosh). Will true love win out before the clock strikes 12:00? A hoot from start to finish, the highlight is Cheung and Guilarte singing about the "deal" as they negotiate the financial arrangements of the marriage.
The most serious piece of the evening is Eugene Oh's "One Dollar Box." Out of a job for several months, Older Brother (Jay J. Lee) frequently comes into the store to buy lottery tickets from the Clerk (Cain). It quickly becomes obvious that Older Brother has a gambling problem—a condition the clerk tacitly encourages because lottery tickets are one of the store's main sources of income. However, Older Brother's younger sibling (Larkin), who is now the main breadwinner of the family via his success as a drug dealer, is determined to stop the gambling once and for all. (This story was seen in a previous Seven.11 collection, but has been sharpened in both dialogue and message since then.) The play is a good example about the dangers of thinking one is too far on the periphery of a situation to really be involved. The acting standout here is Lee as a man who thinks he has everything totally under control, although evidence points to the contrary.
Carla Ching's "Closing up Shop" also goes the dramatic route. Sam (Larkin), a young man who knows about facts, figures, spreadsheets, and the bottom line, is looking to buy the store from Old Su (Lee), who has been running the establishment for over 20 years. But first, worker Amelia (Cheung) instructs Sam in the importance of the human element, i.e. knowing the names and needs of the regular customers, such as the way they like their coffee. This is an involving story about "what goes around comes around," and not being afraid of change, something all three characters are about to experience.
Seeking love and defying convictions comes into play in "Color Me Desi," by Rishi Chowdhary. An unmarried young man (Ghosh) methodically does his job at the store while his friends party. He is also involved in an arranged marriage, which his parents have set in motion. A quiet and unassuming person, he is afraid to speak out about his own desires and dreams for fear of upsetting those who are trying to run his life. It's up to his friends (Guilarte and Ladnier) to make him realize he has to find his own way in the world (and his own girl) or at least make the attempt to do so. It's an ambitious work, but the only one of the seven that tends to drag somewhat, especially with Lanier playing several different characters, none of whom really click.
Things wind up with the uplifting "A Very Desi Christmas," Chakrabarti and Jhaveri's take on "A Christmas Carol." On Christmas Eve, clerk Chandrakant Scroogewala (Guilarte) is beaten down, tired, and missing his homeland. However, he is visited by an Angel (Cain) who, with the help of numerous visions of the past and present, reminds him of the true meaning of the holidays, and that there are people who would welcome him into their hearts and lives if he only gave them the chance.
These various stories (directed by Kel Haney, Robert Ross Parker, and R. J. Tolan) offer a good time for all and give life to the myriad of nearly invisible people behind the counters at the thousands of convenience stores everywhere.
Seven.11 Convenience Theatre 2009: The Final Year
Center Stage
48 West 21st Street
Tickets: 866-811-4111
Running time: 90 minutes
Closes: June 28
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
