Robert Bradford Smith in Pegasus Theatre’s ‘Tales from Late Night Kroger’ by Bruce R. Coleman. (Courtesy photo)

BEHIND THE CURTAINS

Pegasus Theatre pays tribute to Bruce R. Coleman with Tales from Late Night Kroger penned by the late director

RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
This past weekend, Pegasus Theatre opened the one-actor show Tales from Late Night Kroger at the Bath House Cultural Center. The comedy, starring actor Robert Bradford Smith as The Man, depicts a unique slice of Gayborhood history. But italso comes with sentiment as it was written by the late Bruce R. Coleman who passed just more than a year ago.

“Stepping into Bruce’s world, I was really nervous,” Smith said, “because I have this tremendous responsibility.”

The Man Smith plays is essentially Coleman, and Late Night Kroger is based on Coleman’s personal observations that he posted on Facebook. Considering that he passed so recently, relatively speaking, doing the play could be daunting. Smith knows what Coleman meant to local theater.

“I felt that. These are his stories,” Smith said. “I was nervous, but when I saw this audition come up, I knew I had to do it.”

Tales from Late Night Kroger runs through Oct. 26.

“Like many people and organizations in the DFW theater community, Pegasus Theatre worked with Bruce in many capacities, and every experience was a revelation,” Pegasus Theatre Executive Director Barbara Weinberger said in an email. “Bruce was not only incredibly talented, he brought a huge heart to his work and an uncritical eye to the human condition.

“By the time Bruce left us in 2023 at an unreasonably young age, he had created friendships with hundreds of colleagues and acted as a mentor to dozens more,” she continued. “Everyone who worked on this show felt a huge responsibility to produce something Bruce would have treasured. We are grateful beyond words to Bruce’s family for granting us the right to present Tales From Late Night Kroger by Bruce. This one comes from the heart.”

Coleman was an acclaimed director in the Dallas Fort Worth area. He worked across many theaters but had a strong connection with Theatre Three, serving as its interim artistic director after founder Jac Alder’s passing. Coleman’s work appeared at Uptown Players, Dallas Children’s Theater, Shakespeare Dallas and MainStage ILC to name a few.

He died of a heart attack in August 2023 at the age of 62.

Despite the intense pressure, after opening weekend, some of Smith’s nerves were allayed.

“It was great to have a nice big audience with many of his friends there and one of his brothers. There were lots of laughs and some tears shed, but to hear the nice remarks after was great,” Smith said.

The show begins with a quick rundown of the Gayborhood’s history. The character touches on encounters with a smelly hippie hottie, a muscled-up power bottom and a chance encounter with Miss Ross — Diana, that is.

Smith knew Coleman himself. The two met more than 30 years ago when Smith was part of a show that Coleman and producing partner Jack Presley crafted.

“It was one of the first things I did outside of college,” Smith said. “I was even hearing ‘You gotta work with Bruce’ before that. I got to work with him a lot, and he could do anything. He really was a genius.”

Coleman wasn’t just a director and playwright. Smith recalls him choreographing that show. He also designed costumes and was skilled at drawing. Many of his sketches are included in the show.

Smith said he got all the feels when he was cast. First it was a mix of thrill and fear. He’d have 90 minutes onstage alone, talking the entire time. But Smith also felt something more.

“There are two types of actors: one who goes for the part and is confident they are gonna get it [and the ones who] who get neurotic about it and believe ‘They’ll never cast me.’ I’m the second one,” he said. “But going into this, I felt the opposite and was drawn to it. I don’t know exactly but it almost felt like I had his blessing to do this, which gave me the feeling of needing to do it.”

Directed by Ashley Puckett Gonzales, this show is restaged from Coleman’s own presentation where he delivered it more as a reading. In Pegasus’ production, the audience is privy to his outlandish late-night stories from his own space.

“Ashley is amazing. She had a vision, and that really brought this to life. We’re in his studio where he makes costumes and unpacks groceries, and you see him — or The Man — living through his tales,” Smith said.

Beyond his personal ties to Coleman, the play does resonate with Smith from days before.

“I’m a gay man of a certain age, and I remember arriving at Oak Lawn and going into that teeny Tom Thumb [across the street]. So we were impressed when Kroger moved in. It had everything,” he said. “We touch on the history of those two stores and just the Gayborhood itself.

“However, ever since COVID, the late-night Kroger is gone.”

These days, Smith orders his groceries for pick up. But he’s good with a throwback to a different time.

“This is Bruce’s show. Knowing Bruce, none of these stories are surprising but they are funny and silly, and these are real people,” Smith said. “I love that we can honor those people but definitely honor Bruce this way.”

For tickets, visit PegasusTheatre.com.

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Tales from Late Night Kroger

Written by: Bruce R. Coleman
Directed by: Ashley Puckett Gonzales
Cast: Robert Bradford Smith; Gerald Taylor II, understudy; Lyle Hathway
Stage Manager/Light and Sound Operator: Bobby Selah
Lighting Design: Elijah Reed
Set Design: Billy Betsill
Sound Design: Jared Culpepper
Costume Design: Michael Robinson
Projections: Becki McDonald

Runs through Oct. 26.
Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Drive.
PegasusTheatre.com