Outstanding new play premiers at Sycamore Rouge – Ryan Tiller’s ‘Scribbles’

I was walking in Old Towne Friday night, and lured by the music, made my way to Sycamore Rouge. Having not been a part of the ’scene’ in about five years, I was curious about the progress that had been made since Chris Shorr had birthed his vision there. In addition to their […]

July 13, 2009; 11:31 AM • by mari

I was walking in Old Towne Friday night, and lured by the music, made my way to Sycamore Rouge. Having not been a part of the ’scene’ in about five years, I was curious about the progress that had been made since Chris Shorr had birthed his vision there. In addition to their outdoor steak fest, the classic venue was hosting a theatrical performance entitled ‘Scribbles’.

This one-man show, written by a native Hopewellian, was making its debut as a stage performance. I ordered a chardonnay, selected a table near the entrance and began to immerse myself in the ambiance of romantic lighting and the rawness of the oncoming live performance. I was immediately taken home to the cobblestone streets of a theater near my home in Mesilla, New Mexico.

Less than one hour later as the actors took their bows, I was applauding with a feeling of awe. Such passion … such talent …. such truth. I knew this had to be more than fiction. I introduced myself to the bartender and asked her who was responsible for the play. She directed me to Ryan Tiller, author, director, and native of Hopewell, Virginia. I introduced myself and for the next half hour listened as his story began to unfold.

“I went to New York to be an actor,” he humbly said. He would spend his evenings in a coffee shop, which became the set of the entire play, composing poetry and short stories. But the poetry and stories grew into something else as Ryan began to write about the people he encountered and the interactions he experienced in that coffee shop. Hence the title … Scribbles.

There are the usual players – the spunky waitress, the crude cook, the lonely regular, and the gruff but loveable truck driver. Then there’s the native New Yorker, the beggar, the addict, and the prophet, complete with their own sets of issues, lessons, and warnings. But what’s the hook? Well, it is simply how in spite of different backgrounds, sufferings, and episodes we are all connected.

Perhaps most impressive to me is the spawning of wording into live recital. A vision expressed in text is brought to life by human beings. This cast comprised of local men and women, people you see here and there out and about on a regular basis. The raw talent in this community is extraordinary.

When I asked Ryan when we could enjoy another performance of Scribbles, he didn’t have an answer for me. “I’m looking for an agent.” Ryan Tiller has birthed a gem in Scribbles. Shakespeare would be proud. For more information on Scribbles visit Ryan’s MySpace page at Scribbles Poet.

July 13, 2009 11:31 AM 0