When the idea to produce Fully Committed in Eureka Springs came to Lakefront Arts artistic director Christopher Willard, it was a no-brainer.
“The show peeks behind the curtain of the restaurant business,” Willard said. “What better place to present it than in a foodie heaven like Eureka Springs? Audience members can grab a great meal, then dish with us on all that goes on back of the kitchen — and downstairs.”
The downstairs in Fully Committed is the makeshift call center for Manhattan’s hottest restaurant. There Sam, an outof- work actor, takes reservation calls from celebrities, socialites and New York types who will stop at nothing to score the perfect table at the perfect time. One actor plays all 40 characters in the span of 90 minutes. Hence, the show’s title.
“You have to be a little crazy to do this job,” Willard said. “But, then, the same could be said for anyone working in the high-stakes, cut-throat food industry, too.”
To realize the role of Sam, Willard enlisted the help of Little Rock actor Dakota Mansfield, who tackles the 50 pages of dialogue while portraying every character and each side of the conversation onstage.
“If Koty drops a line, no one’s there to pick it up,” Willard added. “The only other actor is himself.”
Despite playing a bevy of crazy callers, Mansfield’s greatest creation is Sam, the likable down-to-earth Midwesterner trying to maintain his humanity working the job from hell.
“On the day we meet him, Sam is up for a career-making part at Lincoln Center,” Willard said. “Plus, his recently widowed father is trying to get him home for Christmas (a shift Sam is scheduled to cover). Can Sam satisfy his callers, his career, and his family without losing his soul in the process?” Fully Committed was written 20 years ago but revised on Broadway in 2016 in a production starring Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Along the way, the show remained a sharp satire of food culture, power and privilege.
“There’s a toxic sense of entitlement sweeping the nation right now,” Willard explained. “The show speaks to that and the struggles of the 99 percent. Ultimately, it’s a comedy for anyone who’s ever worked a really lousy job.”
Doing the show, though, has been anything but a struggle for Willard and Mansfield. “Getting the right actor is key to an easier process,” Willard said. “Koty takes this high-wire act and makes it look effortless. Maybe we should have been committed for even attempting this show, but the only way to pull it off is to remain fully committed to the very end. We’ve created something special, and I can’t wait to share it with the audience.”
Fully Committed plays at Main Stage Creative Community Center, 67 N. Main St. in Eureka Springs. The complete show schedule is Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 6, 7, 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 1 and 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $16 for Fridays and Saturdays and $14 for Sundays. The Sept. 29 performance includes a First Night pre-show reception with drinks, hors d’oeuvres and dessert. Serving begins at 6:30 p.m. Special pricing applies.
To make a reservation, order online at ReserveEureka.com/ reservations/fullycommitted or purchase tickets at the door. All seating is general admission. The performance is 90 minutes, presented without intermission, and contains adult language and situations. For more information, visit lakefront arts.org.
