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

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

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

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

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

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.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.