In this new play, Dale Olsen grows up as the adopted son of a sheltered Grass Valley family until, in 1951 he is drafted into the Army and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, while at home a mystery awaits. More…
"The Glen" follows Dale’s journey by way of present day action and flashbacks, from innocence to maturity, tracking his uncertain path as a private falsely accused of insubordination by an underhanded army major, through his affair with a possible spy in 1950s Berlin and back to his ultimate confrontation with his unforgiving mother and the secret she has hidden from him all his life. "The Glen" is dramatic and comic, an epic journey of memory, secrets, love, humor and self-discovery.
See it if Sequence of events work well with the "scattering" of times of the events Esp. good work by Matthew Dalton Lynch & Daniel Stompor. (ALSO)
Don't see it if Small theater(a plus too)ergo limited seating.One role needs more time to get the lines ( viewed very early) Lead had his stripe before ..
Also Stripe before the promotion........ Read more Read less
See it if you are interested in the tensions at play in the 1950's for orphans, gay men, the Korean conflict, financial struggles, well acted & staged
Don't see it if you are easily confused by many scenes in two acts that change time periods to tell the story. Editing and tightening would make this shine.
See it if you enjoy new work, time-jumping plots, family secrets, military experiences, gay coming of age tales, mother-son relationships,
Don't see it if expect full-scale production values, uncomfortable with gay story lines, non-linear plotting, frustrating military stories, naive hero
See it if You like family intrigues, this one is a whopper.
Don't see it if You’re looking for a quick fix of entertainment The Glen is a bit long.
See it if interested in coming of age story of a confused young man, his family & it's secrets, & time in army during Korean war years.
Don't see it if you don't like non linear story line, many short scenes sometimes confusing in time shifts. Slow moving.
Also Promising premise but needs tightening & editing.
See it if If you are in the mood for a show that is "fantastic" in the truest meaning of the word.
Don't see it if if you want a show where the writer demonstrates at least some familiarity with historical reality.
Also Only the protagonist's relationship with his adopted mother and his 2n... Read more Read less
See it if You want to see a play about a family and their son and his coming of age. You want to see some great acting performed in a small space.
Don't see it if You need an elaborate production. You are not interested in seeing a play about a family and their issues and the coming of age of the son.
See it if you'd like a story with not much story behind it. Gay man comes of age in small town and in army from 1920-50's.
Don't see it if you want a strong story. Play jumps between '20s and 50's. At first confusingly, it becomes distracting w/ too many short scenes.
See it if you enjoy coming of age stories you like intimate blackbox theater you like family stories and revelations of family secrets
Don't see it if you get confused by backstories and flashbacks
See it if You don't early drafts of a possibly interesting show. There is an interesting story to be told but it need much refinement and focus.
Don't see it if You want a fully developed play. The scenes occur in random order and the production values are near zero. Several actors were amateurish.
See it if You want to see individual actors playing multi rolls well
Don't see it if You’re impatient and don’t want to see a short story told in long version
See it if you enjoy a work in progress. THE GLEN needs a dramaturge to winnow down four acts and twenty-seven scenes. The story is worth it.
Don't see it if you expect a polished tale or if you prefer a director who is not the playwright.
See it if you would like to see a play that has potential. deals with gay issues in the military from way back. a bit long.
Don't see it if none of that interest you.
See it if Issues surrounding a man's quest for his background amid issues of sexual identity, family dysfunction and secrecy might pique your interest
Don't see it if If you have trouble following time sequences which go back and forth throughout. Can be confusing at times. But story is compelling
Also Very small venue with a simultaneously staged and loud play next door ... Read more Read less
See it if you want to feel the sadness of another.
Don't see it if you do not like to feel the pain of others.
See it if you want to see something early in development; if you don't mind a meandering script. The lead actor was legitimately good.
Don't see it if you're bothered by unnecessary time leaps, uneven writing & directing, or a play without a driving narrative.
See it if you enjoy epic complex dramas with shifting timelines and just enough intrigue.
Don't see it if you prefer big polished productions. This is a little show with a big cast that does a great job with a tough script.
Also If you're interested in this show for its gay theming, be aware that i... Read more Read less
See it if You like small cast, interesting character study piece dealing with adoption identity, sexual orientation, the military and family.
Don't see it if You want a straightforward storyline where actors don’t play multiple characters.
See it if You are interested in a naive boy discovering his sexuality for 2 1/2 hours with no surprises or drama
Don't see it if You want a fast paced linear plot with effective acting that builds to dramatic conclusion
See it if could have been done in one act - theme was self discovery but divided timelines were a bit too much
Don't see it if if you don't like small plays in a small space and where you can hear other shows going on around you during the performance
See it if you enjoy intelligently written drama.
Don't see it if you need an elaborate set to understand what is happening.
See it if you like shows about family relationships and coming of age stories.
Don't see it if you don’t like shows that are overly long with many scenes and a very slow plot development. .
See it if I loved this low-key show about a naive country boy trying prove himself in life. Great actors who made a show out of air!
Don't see it if Not into slow paced performances.
See it if You enjoy a look back at LGBT life in the 40s/50s.
Don't see it if You require a straight-line narrative.