Our own Lisa Brave is starring as Marsha Townsend in Toby’s Game, a new play by Owen Robertson, will be staged at Tampa’s Silver Meteor Gallery from November 3 to November 13, produced solely by Lab Theater Company. Performance times are 8:00 PM on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturday and Sunday evenings with 2:00 PM matinee performances on Saturday and Sundays. The Silver Meteor Gallery is located at 2213 East 6th Avenue, Ybor City, and free parking is available at the theater. Patrons may purchase tickets at the door, by calling 813-238-1756, or by emailing labthrproject@gmail.com.
Toby’s Game tells the story of Marsha and Toby Townsend. Toby is a vet who suffers from PTSD and has had a traumatic brain injury that was self-inflicted while he was serving in Iraq, who has been under the care of his sister, Marsha, for the last 8 years. The military has abandoned them and when Bobby Pierce, Toby’s enlistment buddy and childhood friend, comes home trying to find forgiveness for not bringing Toby home, a secret love is discovered. Toby’s Game is a story about the power of love and forgiveness, about living and loving. It is ultimately a journey of hope.
Directed by Owen Robertson (TRT2’s White People, LAB’s Cleave and Rocket Science), Toby’s Game stars Eddie Gomez (Stageworks’ A Few Good Men and TRT2’s Beirut), Lisa Brave, and Jeffrey M. Lukas (Stageworks’ Inherit the Wind).
Owen Robertson, founder of Lab Theater Project, and playwright is a recent graduate of the New Hampshire Institute of Art MFA, Writing for Stage and Screen program. Toby’s Game is one of his graduate works and has been in development since January 2015. A vet himself, he has felt the need to tell this story for a long time. Mr. Robertson also feels a need for stories that can explore the tragedy of life as well as the power of the human spirit to overcome tragedy and find hope and strength to carry on.
“This play begins the season for Lab to honor veterans” says Robertson “beyond the personal connection I feel a need to tell this story, to bring Toby home, to let all vets and their loved ones know they are not alone. Their struggle is shared by many.” Robertson adds “it is important, as a playwright, to tell stories that reflect our society, that record what is happening at the current time, and even put events or issues out in the open for audiences to experience and be a participant.”
Tampa-based Lab Theater Project is a company focused on two fronts: the development of new works and the education of theater artists, both new and experienced. Lab’s focus on new playwrights stems from Mr. Robertson’s belief
that “the path for new work is riddled with traps that prevent and discourage the new playwright; I aim to change that.”
More information about Toby’s Game and Lab Theater Project is available at https://www.facebook.com/events/1279847872065770/
Tickets are $15.00, cash at the door. There is a $0.50 service fee for Credit Card purchases.
For reservations call 813-238-1756 or email labthrproject@gmail.com
Thursday/Friday/Sat/Sun evening Performances doors open at 7:30 PM. Sat/Sun Matinee performances doors open at 1:30 PM.