One for the Road was first developed and performed last spring at the Firehouse Theatre Project under the Working Title, Epiphany 50. Patton states that the origin of the piece centered on speaking at his own wake, but much like his life, One for the Road is a work in progress. Today, Patton's one-act play has grown into a dynamic and unique performance of a despairing actor contemplating his own fate. Dealing at last with life-long conflicts between love and lust, bondage and freedom, and faith and doubt, the protagonist explores political tensions of the Deep South through complex interactions with his own ghost.
Unlike some autobiographical works, One for the Road is sincere and engaging, without being self-absorbed. In contemplating his death, he glides right over the night he sipped bourbon with the late, great Tennessee Williams, but spares no detail in revisiting the skeletons in his closet. Patton's humility throughout is infectious, and he enthralls audiences with his charismatic confessions and incredibly diverse history.
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