Dark comedy 'Colorado' brings laughter, tears

Three days after seeing Peter Sinn Nachtrieb's "Colorado" at the University Playhouse and I am still unsure of how I feel about it.  In no way, shape, or form am I saying that it was a bad experience because the play was phenomenal, but there were so many changes in my emotions that I'm surprised that my heart didn't finally just give up and put me in a comatose state.

The play revolves around the Ackhart family: Tracy (A'Mari Rocheleau), Travis (Micah Haynes), Grace (Denise Buckels), and Ron (Storm Adams). 

In the play, Tracy had just been named Miss Late Teen Colorado at the age of 17, and was advancing to the national competition until she went missing.  The play utilized flashbacks in order to truly unveil Tracy's true form, which was, for lack of better wording, a psychotic bitch.  Despite the fact that her family has given everything to better her future, Tracy does nothing but take complete advantage of them, and even goes so far as to exploit her family in order to win her title.

The saddest part of the show for me was the dysfunctional relationships in the family.  Ron and Grace had kids and got married at a young age, not even out of college, and because of that they are still kids themselves.  They both had big dreams that they never got to fulfill and are now trying to live vicariously through their talented, beautiful daughter, while taking no notice of their son.

Travis is a young boy on the verge of puberty, who is all but completely ignored by his family.  When they do show him the smallest bit of attention it is usually degrading or critical.  Because of this they don't realize that he is struggling with his transition into manhood, along with his newfound discovery, more by his parents than himself, that he is homosexual.

While this is all happening they find Tracy's body underneath the floorboards in the den, where Travis hides his tapes of the show "Maury."  However, rather than calling the cops and going through the normal procedures of a homicide investigation, they decide to bury the body in the yard, and go about living their lives.  I never understood why this was even an option, but then again, the Ackhart family was far from normal to begin with.

Grace decides to go to Hollywood to pursue her long forgotten dreams of an acting career, Ron goes off to Cuba to be a beach bum, and Travis begs his parents to let him stay in the house in Colorado, forge all of their signatures and raise himself.  Grace and Ron, being the wretched parents they are, agree because of their own selfish ambitions.  This leads on to a heart-wrenching monologue by Travis that is guaranteed to make even the toughest lumberjack cry, thus making a 20-year-old woman sob like a small child.

Overall the play was wonderful, though dark, and all of the characters were cast perfectly.  They effortlessly pulled you in to the story and immersed you in their grief, horror and pleasure.