Jackson Free Press

David Mamet's "American Buffalo" is a story of miscommunication, betrayal and alliances. The play takes place at a junk shop in Chicago, where Donnie (Patterson) sells a nickel for a decent price to a coin collector. He feels he could have gotten much more for it and commences to hatch a harebrained scheme of stealing the nickel back from the collector.

The nickel represents hidden value. It also stands for the unrealized potential of trust and friendship. When that trust is lost, can it ever be recovered or stolen back?

Chris Roebuck, director of the Fondren Theatre Workshop's rendition of "American Buffalo," is recognizable from his multiple comedic roles in "Idols of the King" at New Stage. Daniel Dauphin was hilarious in New Stage's "Noises Off" last November. Opie Cooper has lent his humor to the Center Players ("The Odd Couple," "Alice in Wonderland," "Clue") and to his Off-Kilter improvisational group. JC Patterson changes from sexy Spaniard to puppet narrator to his MTA award-winning turn as a redneck in "West We Go."

So what are four guys known widely for their comedy doing in a down-and-dirty drama?

"I want for people to know that I did not cast these guys because they are in the comedy stretch," Roebuck explains. "I cast them because at the audition they were simply the best and they work well together," he says.

Teach (Dauphin) is the con artist. He wants a piece of the pie that wasn't his to begin with. Teach bullies Donnie into letting him steal the nickel back instead. Teach is a loser. He has lost at cards and life, and he wants redemption, no matter the cost.

Bobby (Cooper) is a recovering addict. Donnie tries to help him back on his feet and give him some gumption. Bobby lies in order to get in this game, but he does a dramatic gesture at the end to make things right. It's noble yet foolish.

"You don't have friends in this world," says Donnie. "You gotta know who your friends are and who treats you like what." That's pretty much the story. "Things are not always what they seem."

Mamet's love for profanity is well-known. "We've learned how to curse easily," Patterson says with a laugh, and they certainly display the fruits of their learning in this production.

Also, Mamet's shorthand style of writing has a difficult rhythm. There are a lot of one-word comments that make the communication in the production difficult. "It's like trying to do a Shakespeare show, and there's a rhythm to the words," Cooper says.

All of the cast members say that this has been one of the most difficult shows to perform. Even Dauphin, who spent three years at University of Southern Mississippi for graduate school in theater, says, "It's the hardest play I've ever worked on."

Roebuck says: "I notice that in this show actors are putting words in. I'm used to working with actors forgetting a word here and there, but we're wanting to add words because of (Mamet's) writing style."

He explains that when he heard the actors reading this play at auditions, the poetry grabbed him. He became even more motivated to direct and realized that this is a play that Jackson can appreciate. This is more edgy than community theater. "This is for more specialized audiences," Dauphin says.

Cooper explains that this play is meant for true theater fans to view. The play is steeped in subtext. "I think audiences will like this show because the characters are real and they're having real conversations. It sucks the audience in," Patterson says.

Roebuck wants to show people that as an actor/director he is capable of doing more than just comedy and felt this serious show was a good way to branch out.

"American Buffalo" opens May 25-28 and June 1-3, 7:30 p.m. at the Pix/Capri Theatre in Fondren. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for FTW members, seniors, and students 16 & older with I.D. For reservations or more information, please call 601-982-2217.