Synopsis
Ray is hired by Doug to repair a broken wheelchair. Both bond over the significant challenges in their lives. Ray feels Doug’s future is bright until Doug is forced to confront his past.
The reading of LIFE SUPPORT was performed on May 7, 2023 at The Hudson Theatre in Hollywood, California.
“LIFE SUPPORT is a play I never planned on sharing. I wasn’t sure how audiences would receive such a story. The germination of the idea began nearly twenty years ago when my mother, who had Parkinson’s for quite some time before she passed, had an electric recliner chair which helped raise her up so she could stand. One day the chair stop working. We called a company to come fix the chair and when I answered the knock at the front door, there stood “Ray.” I was stunned and just stared at him. Finally he asked if I would take him to the chair that needed the repair. He had a bag of tools and sat down next to the chair and proceeded to fix it. Life certainly can be stranger than fiction!
Well, time passes and suddenly we are having a reading of this new play. It turned out to be a wonderful afternoon with incredible actors devoting their time and talents to read in front of an audience that nearly filled the theater. How lucky are we?! We had a fabulous cast: Garrett McCord, Tom Musgrave, Marla Robison, Shelby Young, and Joe Brogie, with Becky Bonar reading the direction. We had a superb behind the scenes team of producers: Craig & Betsy Berenson and Kacey Daly. Our working support team was comprised of Linda Kyriazi, Barbara Roseman, Hortensia Gomez-Tirella, and Jim Salvati, who designed our incredible program cover!
We appreciate everyone’s interest and support. Thank you!”
GARRETT McCORD (Doug) is very excited and grateful to be part of the process of putting new work on its feet. Garrett graduated with his MFA in Acting from Temple University in 2021, then worked at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre in Missouri on Our Town as George Gibbs. He then made the drive out to LA to pursue a career in the television and film industry, which has been his dream since he was young. Garrett owes it all to the support of his family and friends that have believed in him since day one. Keep the faith!
TOM MUSGRAVE (Ray) is excited to be involved in this wonderful reading of Life Support. This is his third play with Clete Keith. Previously, Tom played Paul in The Road Theatre’s production of Keith’s The Different Shades of Hugh, and Primo in two readings of Keith's The Elephant in the Room. Tom had the privilege to play Bo Munk in a recurring role in the Coen Brothers’ Emmy Award winning episodic, Fargo on FX, and shortly after played a featured role in the Coen Brothers’ Hail Caesar! He has been seen in many national commercials and different guest star roles along the way. Deepest thanks to his wife and family for their never ending support and love. For more information visit www.tommusgrave.com.
MARLA ROBISON (Becca) is a native of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada and spent many of her early years in Idaho and Arizona before moving to Los Angeles. Her recent film credits include The Wall with Academy Award nominee Vicky Krieps, the indie drama Save Me with Spencer Garrett, and the thriller The Dead of Night. On television, Marla can be seen in Big Sky on ABC. A former dental hygienist, Marla enjoys writing, pilates, and a good bolognese (although she struggles to properly pronounce it). More at www.iammarlajean.com/theatrical.
SHELBY YOUNG (Megan, Siri, Doris) has been an actor all her life. A self-proclaimed nerd with an affinity for cats, theme parks and sushi, Shelby has amassed a large social media following where she shares fun impressions and comedic voice over content. In the world of VO, Shelby's best known for her work in the Star Wars galaxy, giving voice to a plethora of characters across their animation titles and games, including voicing Princess Leia Organa in multiple projects. Shelby's also known for her work in AAA game titles such as God of War: Ragnarök and Horizon Call of the Mountain. Currently, you can hear Shelby recur as Rayna on Nickelodeon’s Baby Shark’s Big Show! as well as on Disney+’s Star Wars: The Bad Batch. In the on-camera world, Shelby's best known for her work as Leah in American Horror Story, Ruby in Wild Child, KC in The Social Network, and an over 65-episode arc as Kinsey on Days of Our Lives.
JOE BROGIE (Elijah, Promo Voice, Automated Voice) is an actor and a magician. However, he breaks the stereotype of performers with rabbits and top hats. He is a comedian, writer, and truly an entertainer of the 21st century. His magic is a versatile style that includes sleight of hand, mentalism, hypnosis, audience engagement, and a natural gift for performing. As a voice actor, Joe has appeared in AAA video games such as Injustice 2 as the voice of Donatello of the Ninja Turtles, as well Horizon Forbidden West and Fire Emblem. He voices Matty in Nickelodeon’s new show “The Beatbuds, Let’s Jam!”, has a recurring voice on The Orville, and has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
BECKY BONAR (Narrator) began her career in her native Houston, where she helped inaugurate two Shakespeare Festivals as Kate in The Taming of the Shrew. In Los Angeles, she has been a Groundling for a decade, a Drama-Logue Award recipient, and an accolade-winning writer, director and actor of all things voiceover. Most recently she was seen as Margaret in I Never Sang For My Father at the Two Roads Theater, and can be heard in The Harry Potter Universe and Sony's Horizon: The New West videogames. She is tickled pink to be taking part in a new Keith Brothers project.
CLETE KEITH (Writer) is a professional writer and playwright based in Santa Monica, California. Clete’s plays and staged readings have been produced and performed in Hollywood and New York. The Antique White play readings on Broadway (Jerry Orbach Theater) featured an all-Broadway cast including John Rubinstein (Tony winner), with Mary Beth Peil and Jenn Colella (both Tony nominees). The L.A. Times review of Clete’s play, The Different Shades of Hugh stated, “If Jackson Pollock, Preston Sturges and John Guare collaborated on a play, it might resemble ‘The Different Shades of Hugh.’” Several of Clete’s screenplays have been produced and/or optioned. His nonfiction book, Ghosts of Greystone - Beverly Hills is a paranormal accounting of Greystone Estate in Beverly Hills, California. Director Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman 1984, Wonder Woman, Monster) remarked, “‘Ghosts of Greystone – Beverly Hills’ is incredibly well written and a must read if you love great ghost tales.”