Chris Wilson's
Actors Theatre of Houston

Presents
The Houston Premiere of

SIMPATICO



Incredibly Handsome Actor and Playwright Sam Shepard


A Play by Sam Shepard

Directed by Brandon Smith

May 29th through June 27th, 1998

Actors Theatre of Houston
2506 South Blvd. Houston, Tx 77098
Call 713-529-6606 for Reservations

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THE CAST

James Belcher..............................SIMMS
Lew Temple.................................VINNIE
George Brock...............................CARTER
Sunny Stubbs................................CECILIA
Blanca Flores................................ROSIE
Marie Hennebery..........................KELLY

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SIMPATICO is a darkly humorous story with a film noir flavor. It follows the relationship of two men, Carter and Vinnie, who, ten years ago, blackmailed a powerful racing official by the name of Simms and as a result, Carter became a powerful figure in racing and Vinnie, a fugitive from the law. Now, ten years later, Vinnie has called Carter to his sparse apartment in Cucamonga, California to help him out with a problem.

It seems that Vinnie has been arrested for impersonating a detective and harassing a woman, Cecilia, and needs Carter to intercede for him. In exchange, Vinnie will hand over the negatives that were used to blackmail Simms. The catch is, Carter ran off with Vinnie's wife Rosie and the negatives are of Rosie in a more than compromising position with Simms. What follows is a descent into a world of lies where no one is sure who is a friend and who will simply cut a throat to win.

Brandon Smith directs SIMPATICO, with music from Neil Young, and the Dave Matthews Band. He is also featured as the bartender in the movie, The Only Thrill starring Sam Shepard. And have you seen him recently in those new Metro Bus commercials? In SIMPATICO, you can also catch George Brock in his underwear, lying on a bed of money, frothing at the mouth in the very final scene. He plays the part of Carter, the powerful racing figure that is rendered helpless at the end of the play.
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"Well, we all do strange things in the face of sudden fortune......"
- SIMMS played by James Belcher in SIMPATICO


JAMES BELCHER


James Belcher


Named as Houston Press' Best Local Actor in their Best of Houston 1997 issue:

Belcher, a rounded baldy with a lively gait and bright blue eyes, looks liks a guy who might sell you a car or move your furniture - in short, the perfect character actor. This season, audiences had the pleasure of seeing him all over the local theater scene: as a shepherd in the Shakespeare Festival's A Winter's Tale, as a slick Hollywood dealmaker in Actors Theater's Speed-the-Plow and as a funeral director in Stages' Three Viewings. Immensely likable, Belcher can be funny without being silly, slick without being oily and perhaps most important, moving without being sappy.

-------The Houston Press, Vol. 9 #38
September 18-24, 1997 issue

Fresh from his performance as Hermann K. in Kafka's Dick, Mr. Belcher does a stunning performance as Simms, a racing figure who is blackmailed by Vinnie in SIMPATICO. Mr. Belcher's work at Actors Theatre of Houston includes Bobby Gould in Speed The Plow, and Director of First Night. He has been a member of Actors Equity Association for 18 years. He also appeared in numerous productions for the Alley Theatre during his eight years as a resident acting company member.

He was most recently seen as Mr. Brownlow in Theatre Under the Stars production of OLIVER! and Dr. Royer Collard in the Stages Theatre production of QUILLS. He was also recently seen in Main Street Theater's production of HAPGOOD. Mr. Belcher has performed nine seasons with the Houston Shakespeare Festival. Other credits include performances at San Antonio Shakespeare Festival, the Austin Shakespeare Festival, TheatreLab, and other theaters in Houston and around the country.

He has worked on over 50 industrial films and can be seen in roles in The James Brady Story, The Challenger, Sam Houston, Cultivating Charlie, The Man With the Perfect Swing, Ichor, Tall Dark and Deadly, and Occhio Pinocchio. He holds a BFA in Drama Production from the University of Texas at Austin and an MFA in Directing from the University of Houston. Mr. Belcher teaches for Tomball College.



ATH Artistic Director Brandon Smith with Wife, Actress and also Director Kate Revnell-Smith