If you’re seeking a weekend adventure in Los Angeles, the 140 minute production of Joy Ride will certainly satisfy. An outdoor venue nestled in the arts district is the kind of space required to accommodate the play’s roadtrip setting and also the main character – a classic convertible.
Reginald P. Louis, a new arrival to LA and fresh face in the acting community, spoke about what he hoped audiences would take from his performance as Rafeal. “Everybody is flawed, everybody’s broken, everybody has a trial and or tribulation that they’re going through. And you’re not alone as much as when you’re going through the fire, you kind of feel like you’re alone. You feel like, well, I’m the only one kind of going through this. I promise you, you’re not.”
“My character who’s dealing with long COVID, he’s very sick and he just didn’t tell anybody because he just doesn’t want to burden anyone. Everybody has an obstacle that they’re dealing with. And you don’t have to go through it alone. You really don’t. And you can find support. And support is literally a text message away, a phone call away. The person you talk to every day, the person you’re saying he means to that person is the person you can talk to, I promise you.”
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Darian Dauchan, in the role of Kenzi, has appeared on both Broadway (Twentieth Century starring Alec Baldwin and Anne Heche) and Off-Broadway (Classical Theatre of Harlem’s Cherry Orchard starring Wendell Pierce). He shared, “I think most importantly, I hope that the audience can really relate to these characters about how all mine in particular, I hope that they can find humanity and people who come out of prison and want to kind of restart their lives and to see them as human beings for all that they are and all their colors and and and who they are.”
Ashlee Olivia, who plays Yasmine, is much admired by those who have seen her work including her one-woman show Ashlee Olivia Presents: Eartha Kitt or, Mama Eartha and her role as Anna in Anna Lucasta with The Robey Theatre Company for which she was nominated for Best Lead Actress by the NAACP Theatre Awards. Any production featuring Ashlee Olivia will render an unforgettable performance.
Her fellow cast member commented about her performance of character Yasmine, “even the strongest people – or the people that show you how strong they are – are still dealing with their own demons. They’re still dealing with their own insecurities. They’re still dealing with their own pain. And a show of strength is not, you know, building a wall of defensiveness, but vulnerability. And I think that Ashley captures that perfectly well.”
The writer, director, and executive producer, Jesse Bliss, is the artistic director of the Roots and Wings project. She amplified the importance of women represented in stories that center discussions of health and wellness. “The voices of women have been left out of the narrative. So we’re able to see women go through the challenges that we face in these times, and we’re able to see them in conjunction with healthy men and see relationships between men and women and deep, deep friendships that are platonic. And in that, there is an offer of love and safety, and these characters are able to unearth their pains with each other. And in that vein of freedom.” In addition to Ashlee Olivia’s role, this is accomplished through the character Lina played by Marlene Luna Casteneda.
The immersive play runs weekends through October 12 at 1100 E. 5th St. on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 5 p.m. Patrons should strongly consider ride-share options due to limited parking. For more information visit https://therootsandwingsproject.com and @TheRootsandWingsProject on social media.
