THE STORY: Set against the crumbling of the Soviet Union, as observed backstage at the Kuzlov Theater in St. Petersburg, THE QUICK-CHANGE ROOM is the comedic metaphor for the too-rapid transformation of Russia from communism to free-market capitalism. Nina, the daughter of the wardrobe mistress, has been cast as Irina in a revival of Chekhov’s The Three Sisters. Using her considerable talents—theatrical and otherwise—she persuades management that what Chekhov’s play needs in the New Russia is “music…some songs…maybe even some dances.” Chekhov’s masterpiece becomes, for marketing purposes, an American style musical titled O My Sister! The venerable artistic director is kicked upstairs—after all, “Russia doesn’t need great men now; it needs clever men” —and the long-reigning prima donna ends up working in wardrobe. A funny-sad commentary on current events, the metaphor of the quick-change room is not lost on the audience as the world around the acting troupe changes as drastically and as quickly as the world outside.
“…THE QUICK-CHANGE ROOM…depicts the agonized contortions of artists forced to toe the bottom line of capitalism for the first time. In addition to being a scathing political satire, the play is a loving, lacerating lampoon of the theater, a near-perfect edifice that supports layer after layer of meaning, metaphor and rip-roaring hilarity.” —Los Angeles Times.
“As deeply provocative as it is ferociously funny, THE QUICK-CHANGE ROOM lights up the stage with a tumble of ideas, expressive high energy and flawless character work.” —Denver Post.
“Though his subject is very serious, Jackson keeps the tone of the play almost frothy. He deftly parodies American musical-comedy convention, skewering the banalities of the form without losing his own artful balance. His handling of the absurdities of greed never goes too far—and he keeps you laughing.” —Westworld (Denver).
