Always expanding his extensive repertoire, entrepreneur and communications professional Anthony Mora assumes his oft-visited role as playwright yet again, contributing to an upcoming local noir festival.
Mora published his first novel Bang! A Love Story in 1998. The following year, ER star Linda Cardellini brought a stage adaptation of BANG! to life in both Los Angeles and New York. He also served as the playwright-in-residence at The Sidewalk Studio Theatre. The Sidewalk produced his plays, P.O.P.: The Principles of Perfection, Bang! A Love Story and Modern Love.
A true renaissance man, he recently completed the complex project The Resurrection of Light, with artist Rachel Tribble. It is a collaborative work, in metal leaf, words, and watercolor.
The busy writer’s newest work, Silencing Silas, premieres as part of P.L.A.Y. Noir, from June 8 to July 1, at The Actors Workout Studio in North Hollywood.
Cinematic in nature, Mora’s work is edgy, quirky and unpredictable, yet strikes a common chord. In Silencing Silas, a powerful businessman hires a moonlighting cop and an aspiring actress to recover a mysterious briefcase and “silence” Silas. But they have other ideas. The caper showcases Mora’s penchant for the noir genre’s dark humor.
While he composed Silas as a short for the noir showcase, he chose to leave the work open ended so that he can potentially expand it into a feature length film in the future. “I think it works as a-one act” he notes, “but see it as a film in the vein of Body Heat or The Last Seduction. It has a strong, lethal female lead. I view [the one-act] as a preface for the film.”
P.L.A.Y. Noir will also feature a play by Mora’s wife, Ann Convery, titled Shoofly. Convery, who has had books published by HarperCollins and Avon, is making her theatre debut with the one-act.
The Actors Workout Studio located at 4735 Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood. P.L.A.Y. Noir runs from June 8 through July 1, each Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.playnoirla.com and on the Silencing Silas website.
Casandra Armour 