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There’s a lot to be said for a theater founded solely to celebrate
children, but there is more to be said about a theater that, after
50 years, ceases to do so. This is the case for the Egyptian
Theater, a little community playhouse, that has aged with its
owner, Ben Horner. As the neighborhood grew dirtier and more
dangerous, Ben grew more jaded. He began to view the children of
the community as the enemy, and now his little theatre is in
shambles; frequently tagged by graffiti and filled with
self-important, part-time thespians. This is how things stand
when the angels arrive with a camera to document the 50th
anniversary of the Egyptian.
Never one to mince words, Tess almost immediately confronts Ben,
revealing herself as an angel and pointing him back in the
direction of his roots. She wants him to write a new song for the
50th anniversary show, something to set the tone for
the next 50 years. Ben is inspired. He can already hear the
song, and excitedly tells Wally, his all purpose technician all
about it. Just as he begins to write though, he suffers a fatal
heart attack.
Now the documentarian style interviews take on a somber tone, or
they would if the regular cast members weren’t so full of
themselves. But even they must put aside their egos and elect a
new artistic director for the theater. At first they all vote for
themselves, but unable to trust each other, they finally opt for
the lesser of four evils, Wally. Who, as it happens, is the ideal
choice. He takes charge right away, surprising even himself. His
first order of business is to tell off the juvenile delinquents
who continue to vandalize the theater with their cans of spray
paint. This of course, backfires. The morning after Wally’s
warning, the cast and crew find the inside of the theater trashed,
with tags like “punks rule” sprayed on the walls.
All seems lost. But soon, with the help of a few angels, they begin
to see that the only way to truly save the theater, is to bring
the children back in. And the way to do that, is with a truly
memorable anniversary show, dedicated to the memory of Ben
Horner. With Tess and Wally shaping the show together, the show
is a fantastic success and it seems that the Egyptian will live on
with another generation of theatre lovers.
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