Before David Berry was cast in the REP's newest show "Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods," he felt a connection to the main character Gabriel, a Sudanese refugee and motherless child.

Now, after being cast and diving into the part, Berry feels like Gabriel has helped him become a better person through his ability to find happiness despite his life of suffering.

"Gabriel really opened my eyes and taught me the truth in selflessness," Berry said.

The REP presents the Pittsburgh premiere of "Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods," written by Pittsburgh playwright Tammy Ryan, Sept. 30 through Oct. 16 at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

The show relates to a documentary called "God Grew Tired of Us," which is about Sudanese refugees, called "lost boys," who were resettled in America in 2001, according to Berry.

"Gabriel is actually paralleled to a character in the documentary named Daniel," said Berry.

According to the official press release by Conservatory of the Performing Arts (COPA) Marketing Director Chris Hays, a civil war in the early 1990s destroyed many of the villages in Sudan. Thousands of boys traveled throughout Africa to refugee camps in Kenya, where they lived for 10 years. The story begins after the 2001 event where the U.S. "resettled 3,600 of these ‘lost boys' in cities across America."

Gabriel is a Sudanese refugee in Pittsburgh who works at Whole Foods. He is discovered by Christine, "a recently divorced East Ender," who takes him under her wing in an attempt to help him in any way she can.

Gabriel's life becomes entangled with the lives of Christine and her daughter Alex, "leading to a remarkable journey of awareness, struggle and hopefulness," according to the release.

Berry describes Gabriel's character as a "sweet, happy guy with demons," who, along with his friend Segel, represents the "lost boys of Sudan" throughout the play.             Through Gabriel and his interactions with everyone around him, the audience is educated about an issue that is still going on today.

Benjamin Blazer, a Point Park acting instructor playing the role of social worker Michael Dolan, is intrigued by the knowledge of different cultures and what it means to be American that can be gained from the show from Gabriel and minor characters.

"There is so much information in this play, and it takes place right here where we live," Blazer said. "It's definitely an educational show, with real people and real issues."

Even as the actors started their contextual research of the events in the show, they learned about what it is like for outsiders to come into America, where the Blazer says the character of Christine learns how "the white of her skin makes her privileged."

Through the eyes of his character, Berry got an idea of the issues that the Sudanese refugees would have worried about every day: inconsistent water flow, flushing toilets and very little food supply.

"[Lost Boy Found In Whole Foods] opened my eyes and made me look past my own self and at bigger things," Berry said.

Connie Castanzo, a recent acting graduate who plays 16-year-old Alex in the play, feels almost embarrassed at her ignorance of the issue.

"This is a genocide, and it's still going on," Castanzo said. "I didn't know about it until I got into the stage reading of this, and I know I'm not alone."

Through Gabriel and the rest of the characters, the closely-knit cast wants to show the audience a tale of hope, truth, and how to help others.

"It's exposure through acting," Castanzo said. "It's not over the top politically, you're following a story and you're able to relate to so many different people. I just hope everyone walks away with a little more understanding."

"Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods" opens on Friday, Sept. 30 and runs through Sunday, Oct. 16 in the Studio Theater. Performances are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Student tickets are $7 to $8. For more information, visit www.pittsburghplayhouse.com or call the playhouse at (412) 392-8000.

Photo:  Laurie Klatscher as Christine, David Anthony Berry as Gabriel and Jamil A.C. Mangan as Panther in The REP's production of "Lost Boy Found in Whole Foods."

Photo by Drew Yenchak.

Published: Monday, September 26, 2011

Updated: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 14:09

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Posted in: COPA,musical theater,Pittsburgh Playhouse,Point Park University,The Globe