Alleman conceived the idea for his first play during a bout of writer's block. As leader of local avant-rock combo To Box With Man, Alleman was having trouble connecting with audiences. His struggles turned symbolic with New American Appliances, which Alleman says is mostly autobiographical. But he's quick to add, "It's to the extreme end. I mean, I do have friends."
The (mostly) one-man show — part of Cleveland Public Theatre's Big [Box] series — features Alleman interacting with appliances that are projected onstage on a videoscreen. Offstage pals provide the voices of a matronly refrigerator, a wifely typewriter, and a hostile telephone. "I have a lot of problems with obsession — and obsession over material objects," says Alleman. "It's a story about a schizophrenic whose personality manifests itself in the appliances."
Ultimately, Appliances becomes a story of hope, says its creator. "I'm a sucker for schmaltz," says Alleman. "I'm not there to confuse or piss off the audience. I'm there to entertain." And it's a work that's achieved its initial goal of firing up Alleman's imagination. "I want audiences to see somebody who's exhibiting insane tendencies," he says. "But it's essentially a story about a guy making a decision about a relationship and then questioning that decision. Maybe something can be changed. That's a very universal idea."
Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 29, 3 p.m. Starts: Jan. 27. Continues through Jan. 28
