'Sidetracked' takes stage
If you're a fan of feel-good music or a dedicated theatergoer, or just suffer from a short attention span, now is your chance to support the arts in the Lowcountry as Jay White's "Sidetracked" opens Thursday at the Village Playhouse in Mount Pleasant.
The one-act, one-man play will feature musical renditions of clap-happy hits from Elvis Presley to Paul Simon and is sure to leave the audience in stitches.
Meet the main character, a 36-year-old writer living in downtown Charleston and played by White. Alone in his apartment on a Friday evening, the easily distracted procrastinator runs into problem after problem. He gets caught up in something, hung up on someone or merely sidetracked by his own wandering thoughts. And he gives Murphy's Law a serious run for the money while trying to meet a work deadline.
The play speaks to everybody, says White. "Sidetracked" is for "anybody that has had a job and dreamed of having a different one, anybody that is dating someone but knew they weren't the one, anybody that's used to getting beat by the little guy."
Even though White's character finds himself battered and blue at one point during the show, the play is a comedy. It's fun and appealing to both regular and reluctant theatergoers, says White. The comedic routine is clever, but at the same time appropriate for all ages. Even White's elementary-school-age children saw the play when "Sidetracked" premiered two summers ago at the Playhouse.
But the real kicker comes with White's musical performance. The avid musician has been known to break out in song at any given moment and has taken time away from the office to visit the Bonnaroo Music Festival with his wife for the past two years. You could say he feels at home among hippies and jam bands, or full of soul when serenading his 6-year-old.
"Sidetracked" is based on Steven Bank's 1989 one-man comedy, "Home Entertainment Center." During his frat boy days at Wofford College, White caught a showing of Bank's play on TV and immediately noticed how much Bank's character reminded him of himself.
And 20 years later, White is performing his own version of the original comedy. "With all the movies, TV shows, video games and even iPods today, we've got it all on demand. But there is an energy that comes from live performances that you can't get from other media," said White.
By day, White is a licensed professional counselor, and by night, a real family man, music fanatic and the ultimate funny guy. The 42-year-old father of two also runs a small lighting and sound business with partner Barry Socia, who is the behind-the-scenes tech man for "Sidetracked." White lives in Mount Pleasant with wife Kate, 9-year-old son Jack and 6-year-old daughter Crawford.
He has dreams of pursuing more acting gigs in the future when his kids are older. For now, he is happy to dabble in his passion and support the local arts "by just goofing around on stage," as he puts it.
