‘runt’ explores Jamaica’s dog-eat-dog world

“runt”

The Trust Arts Education Center

805 Liberty Ave.

Friday and Saturday,… “runt”

The Trust Arts Education Center

805 Liberty Ave.

Friday and Saturday, December 3-4 and December 9-11 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, December 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.

Tickets $25.75 at the Theater Square box office

412-456-6666

Pgharts.org

Michael Phillip Edwards’ one-man play, “runt,” is grounded in a provocative question — what makes a strong dog think it’s weak?

The play’s title, Edwards said, is a Jamaican pejorative term for the dog that feeds last.

“In Jamaica there are a lot of wild dogs — the one that gets to the food first is the top dog, while the runt is the one who eats last. This dog isn’t particularly the weakest or the smallest, but the most afraid,” Edwards said.

This dynamic, Edwards said, is reflective of Jamaica’s competitive, male-dominated society. In the play, the actor examines its effect on his relationship with his father.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the play is the fact that the only person on stage is Edwards himself. The actor cited his admiration for the work of Richard Pryor and his ability to convey scenes of his life on stage by himself.

The play’s one-man form is a trying one, Department of Theatre Arts professor Lisa Jackson-Schebetta explained.

“The one-person show is a particularly demanding form of theater. It requires an actor to be very well trained and agile as they often play multiple characters in different time periods,” she said.

But many people have faith in Edwards’ abilities. Janis Burley Wilson, who worked to bring “runt” to the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust — of which she is vice president — described her excitement about the project: “We are thrilled to have the award-winning talent of Michael Edwards performing for us.”

Edwards said he chose the one-man form to further personalize his struggle, explaining, “It wasn’t so much me being narcissistic as much as it was me wanting to create a story in which the audience asks, ‘How is the man on stage going to conquer his demons?’”

According to Edwards, “runt” came to fruition because of an event in his personal life. “I started the play when I found out that I was going to be a father,” he said.

Rife with experiences from his own life, Edwards said he hopes the play will transcend its script to become a cathartic journey through the perils of family.