Review: THE COAST STARLIGHT at Main Street Theater

THE COAST STARLIGHT is a 2019 script from playwright Keith Bunin that asks a question: “What if we said the things we only thought to strangers?” How would that alter our interactions? How would it change our lives? It takes place on the famous Coast Starlight train journey from Los Angeles to Seattle, which passes through 36 hours of stunning Pacific coast scenery. The show introduces us to a half dozen stories from one car, and it’s an interesting look at how humans interact, or in some cases, don’t. Main Street Theater has delivered a thoughtful, stripped-down presentation of this play, focusing us on the acting and the characters' stories. It’s a wonderful meditation on what could be at any turn.   

T.J., played by Robby Matlock, is our central figure. He is an active-duty Navy medic who is going AWOL because he doesn’t want to go back to a war in the Middle East. He has literally hopped on a train to nowhere and is interacting with the rest of the cast. Robby delivers a great performance as a man with a lot on his mind, and his portrayal feels natural and raw. It’s a mix of sadness, worry, indecision, and wonder, all at once. Sethe Nguyen plays Jane, an artist sketching everyone on board, who takes a liking to T.J. and notices his emotional turmoil. One of the beautiful aspects of this script is that we get to see their relationship unfold in its entirety, even though in reality, they hardly speak. Sethe mirrors Robby’s natural approach, and plays naturally sweet and melancholy. A no-nonsense veteran boards the train played by Jeff Brown, and he has wisdom that could be shared, but he only gets the chance to do so in his head rather than the real world. Jeff is slyly funny and portrays a sense of knowing easily. Next up on the Coastal Starlight is Liz, a blustery, wild free spirit who enters mid-breakup from her boyfriend. Chaney Moore plays it bold as brass and brings her unique comedic delivery from the jump. It’s the most fun turn of the play, both in performance and from a writing aspect. John Raymond Barker portrays the drunk, brash businessman, Ed. He’s obnoxious for a while, but settles down to mostly sleep throughout his time in the space. John plays it believably and realistically. The final passenger we meet is an empathetic lesbian named Anna, brought to life by Julie Fontenot. She brings a lot of levels and complications to her character, and it is a sweet portrayal of a woman who understands T.J. better than most. This whole company has great chemistry, and they all seem to be on the same journey; it speaks well of director Robin Robinson’s work.  

The design work here is minimal. We get a monochromatic train set, and just six seats that can move around as needed. Liz Freese designed it, and there are some ingenious surprises tucked into the walls, as most railcars have. John Smetak’s lighting design is a character in and of itself, as it needs to adapt to abstract times and locales on a whim. Yezminne Zepeda’s sound design is as minimal as the set itself, and really allows the focus to be on our cast of characters rather than the technical elements. 

THE COAST STARLIGHT is a gentle drama that made me smile as much as it made me wistful or winsome. It’s a comforting piece that seems to suggest that, underneath the surface, most folks are kind and caring, even if they bluster and fume. I wanted to hang out with these six characters longer than just a 36-hour train ride, and that says a lot. Main Street Theater is probably one of the few companies that could pull this quiet piece off in such a charming way, and it speaks to their legacy of fifty years that they can. If you want to feel a little better about being alone in the world, grab a ticket for THE COAST STARLIGHT.  

This show runs only through March 1st. Main Street Theater is in Rice Village, and sometimes parking can be an issue. The streets are free, but anything in the lots is metered. And you want to pay close attention to the business's restricted spaces. There are a ton of dining options in the immediate area, and all within a comfortable walking distance.  The entire performance lasts 1 hour and 35 minutes, with no intermission.