Smart Bets: Full-Tilt Boogie at the Big Bang Diner

Posted on by Edwin Arnaudin

Writer/director Rodney Smith calls his play, Full-Tilt Boogie at the Big Bang Diner, “a comedic love letter to all levels of pop-culture fandom.” In it, humanity faces off against an unknown menace while “a couple with a secret, their disaffected daughter, her clueless fiancé and a snarky waitress” choose between saving the world or settling “on the recipe for the perfect iced tea.” The work stars Darren Marshall, Karen Covington-Yow, Carrie Kimbrell Kimzey, Hannah Williams-Beaver, Chris Kingsley, Emma Heisey and Jason Phillips and will have its world premiere at The Magnetic Theatre. Performances begin Thursday, May 24, and continue through Saturday, June 9, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. $12 preview performances May 24-25/$16 for May 26-June 9. themagnetictheatre.org. Photo by Rodney Smith/Tempus Fugit Design

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About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA). Follow me @EdwinArnaudin
View all posts by Edwin Arnaudin →

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3 thoughts on “Smart Bets: Full-Tilt Boogie at the Big Bang Diner”

  1. Honor Elizabeth Moor

    Rodney Smith managed to write another reality within the context of theatre (which is an alternate reality to begin with.) I was transfixed by the imminent threat of…. (I can’t be a spoiler) …let’s just say a clever plot. The characters spewed forth many of Smith’s societal notions that our 24-7 news cycle, constant connection to the internet and the vast wasteland of information are utterly useless and all we really need is love. I loved the plot with an evil villain and a trapped family in a diner that feels like a cross between a B movie and film noir. Run don’t walk to be fully entertained by this clever fun romp that will tap into your childhood memories of staying up late to watch the Twilight Zone…but with a lot of laughs and in a diner! Hat’s off to a great cast.

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