Vacationing and producing a one-person show about gun ownership aren’t an obvious combination.
But longtime Juneauite Ed Christian is using one of his regular fall visits with friends to put on two showings of “The Gun Show,” a one-hour, one-person show that originated in Washington D.C. The shows will be at 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3 at McPhetre’s Hall.
“I know the show, and once a person has a show in them, it needs release,” Christian told the Capital City Weekly. “I’ve always loved to perform in Juneau and did so for many years.”
To further the Juneau connection, the production will be directed by Anita Maynard Losh, formerly with the Perseverance Theatre, and Christian’s wife, Louanne, is stage manager for “The Gun Show.”
Christian said another reason he felt inclined to include performing in his visit is he likes the way the show written by EM Lewis discusses gun ownership without striking a combative tone or taking a typical stance.
He said he grew up in a home with guns and knew all about shooting, but there can be discussions about the “unique carnage particular to America.”
“It gets out of the trap of the gun discussion,” Christian said. “The argument that exists in the public imagination is two extreme positions on the same continuum. This really comes at it from the middle.”
Christian said Lewis’ play rejects both the typical liberal position and also rejects arguments typified by Alex Jones types and instead tells stories connected to guns.
“It brings up the idea that we can talk about what guns really mean,” Christian said.
He also clarified that “The Gun Show” isn’t one monologue about gun violence or gun ownership.
“It’s not about the issues,” Christian said. “The show is really a series of stories. Sometimes it’s funny and sometimes it’s sad.”
Know & Go
What: “The Gun Show”
When: 3 and 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3
Where: McPhetre’s Hall, 325 Gold St.
Admission: Tickets are available through Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, online, at Hearthside Books and also at the door. They cost $15, and because of language used in the show, it is not recommended for children.
• Contact arts and culture reporter Ben Hohenstatt at 523-2243 or bhohenstatt@juneauempire.com.
