Above: Brian McCann as Charles Dickens in his one-man show this month at The Delaware Contemporary. Photo by Kyle Cassidy.
The official date of City Theater Company’s 30th anniversary may not be until March, but there’s no time like the present for a creative contribution from the energetic Wilmington-based performance troupe.
So, from February 21-24, CTC will present a pair of unique and original one-person shows: Johnny Depp: A Retrospective On Late-Stage Capitalism by Jenna Kuerzi and Generous Fire: Charles Dickens In America by Brian McCann. Each play is entirely conceived, written, and performed by the playwright, with the authors taking on the respective titular character of the real-life person.
“Throughout our 30-year history, [CTC] has been a proud champion of new plays and playwrights,” says artistic director Kerry Kristine McElrone. “We have produced several world premieres, workshopping full plays from page to stage, and through our One-Act and Ten-Minute Play Festivals, we’ve given voice to many playwrights, both those established and those just starting out.”
Johnny Depp: A Retrospective On Late-Stage Capitalism stars Kuerzi as Depp, in full Jack Sparrow regalia, as the preteen heartthrob turned wino forever — offering a retrospective on every film in his entire career, even the ones we didn’t watch, in order to ask . . . what happened? A satirical PowerPoint “extravaganza” that is part ritual and part drunken singalong, the play features throwing things at random intervals, “fabulous” prizes, and a celebrity circus the audience keeps tuning in to.
Generous Fire: Charles Dickens In America stars McCann as Dickens in a fictionalized lecture at one of the author’s late-in-life public readings in the U.S. While the presentation is a flight of the imagination, the circumstances are true and nearly all the words spoken come from Dickens himself. The 
celebrated writer has already survived one stroke, but the end of his life is imminent. The strain of his second American tour has proven too much for him, and his doctor has become his sole traveling companion. The public mask slips, and we catch a glimpse of things “Boz” would never willingly present to his public.
Both Kuerzi and McCann are successful Philadelphia-based actors. Kuerzi is known to CTC audiences for her work here in Sunday In the Park With George, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Xanadu, and Bat Boy: The Musical. McCann is making his CTC debut and performs regularly throughout the region and with ComedySportz Philadelphia.
“Supporting new and original work is a critical part of CTC’s mission, and as Artistic Director I am thrilled that these two plays and their authors are joining the many voices we have been privileged to partner with over the past 30 years in this respect,” says McElrone.
— All shows are at The Delaware Contemporary (200 S. Madison St., Wilm.) Johnny Depp: A Retrospective On Late-Stage Capitalism shows Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 8pm and Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2pm. Generous Fire: Charles Dickens In America shows Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8pm and Saturday, Feb.24 at 8pm. Tickets are $30; military/students are $25 with ID. Visit City-Theater.org.
