On January 13th and 14th 2006 Readers Theatre Rep peeled back the veneer of family ties with an evening called “Blood Brotherhood,” featuring True West, Sam Shepherd’s best known play.

Director Matthew Martin has wanted to stage the play for years. “I’m fascinated with those relationships that appear one way on the surface, but are the mirror opposite just under the skin,” he says. “Shepherd uses two brothers to explore this, and I think to confront us with who we are to those who think they know us.”

An explosive drama of two very different men stranded in the wasteland of the San Gabriel Valley, True West also examines the nature of authenticity and manhood. “The West is an icon for the American man, and for living the genuine life,” Martin says. “And that authenticity, or lack of it, translates to our relationships as well.”

The cast includes Tim Delaney, Betty Moyer, Josh Rengert, and Brian Rooney.
Live music accompanied the show, with haunting sounds framing the story and weaving through it.