High Profile: RODNEY LEE ROGERS

Pure Theatre co-owner doing what he loves on stage

In his role as a security guard in Kenneth Lonergan's play "Lobby Hero," Rodney Lee Rogers astonishingly shows the innate vulnerability of us all, the willingness to tolerate any treatment, just to keep a means of support. He begs his overbearing boss: "Please don't fire me. Please." His tears are real and so are those in the audience.

Alan Hawes
The Post and Courier

Co-founder of Pure Theatre Rodney Lee Rogers portrays Stede Bonnet in 'The Gentleman Pirate,' a one-man show that will be performed at the Powder Magazine combined with an art walk.

This was four years ago when Rogers, who is not only an actor but also a playwright, screenwriter and director, and his actress-director wife Sharon Graci decided to shake up the local theater community and open Pure Theatre in the Cigar Factory on East Bay Street.

Rogers and Graci, both members of the Screen Actors Guild, brought in 85 seats, painted the space, weaving straw into gold by making do with materials available. Looking at life from a new angle shocked a few people and intrigued

others as Pure gained the reputation of taking risks by staging new, cutting-edge work by the likes of Tracy Letts, Neil LaBute, Conner McPherson and Lonergan, among others.

From the start, it was a family affair.

After a couple of years, even Sullivan, then 11, Graci's daughter by a previous marriage, happily sold refreshments in the lobby. Also, in the intervening years, the couple had two children of their own to add to Graci's previous three. Some wondered how in the world they could manage a growing family and a growing theater, all on a shoestring.

"It has been really wild," says Rogers as he sips coffee at a local Starbucks, on New Year's Day. "Luckily, we have friends who helped out, and our families live nearby, mine here in town and Sharon's on Fripp Island."

But on this pivotal day, Rogers and Graci have just finished tearing down what they spent nearly five years building. The Cigar Factory is being sold as condominiums, and they have just taken out all the seats, sets and props and moved them into storage.

"We expected to be sad about moving, but we are actually happy because the Cigar Factory space served us well, but now it's time to move on, to look to the future," he says with conviction.

Pure Theatre's current play, "The Tragedian," is being performed through Feb. 2 in the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St. Rogers has written and acts in the one-man portrait of 19th-century actor Edwin Booth, brother of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth.

Future productions will be presented in a new venue as Pure Theatre plans to move into a space at the former Charleston Naval Base in North Charleston in an arrangement with the Noisette Co., which owns the area.

"We are so pleased the Noisette Co. is offering us a 150-seat space at a reasonable rent," says Rogers, who searched downtown but could find nothing remotely affordable.

However, he doesn't want a space larger than 150 seats. "We want to concentrate on first-rate material and first-rate acting," says Rogers. "We don't want to have to raise money to support the facility, we want to use our money to try to pay actors and directors more."

The co-owner of Pure Theatre says he believes people won't have any trouble finding the space once they get to the Navy Yard, as a map will be placed on the theater's Web site.

A personable, engaging man, Rogers says he has recently made the decision to devote his time to making the theater viable financially; Pure will have its first fundraiser in March.

"I've had my experience getting my work performed on the national level," he says, noting his work has been produced in Seattle, Charlotte and New York. His feature film, "Steaming Milk," won him runner-up awards for Best Actor and Best Director at the 1997 Seattle International Film Festival. The film was also shown at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. "But now I'm going to concentrate on writing for Pure and not worry about sending work out to other theaters," Rogers adds.

"My time spent in L.A. trying to raise money to get a film made was very revealing, as was my experience in New York. It can really drive you crazy."

Rogers says that he realized Pure could become financially solvent when David Lindsay-Abaire's play "Rabbit Hole" was practically sold out before it opened. Pure has hired actors R.W. Smith and David Mandel as company manager and marketing manager, respectively, and Mandel has designed a Web site for the company.

In the meantime, Rogers also will perform several nights a week in "The Gentleman Pirate" in a play chronicling the life of famous pirate Stede Bonnet, at the historic Powder Magazine. He will perform inside the building and then take the group on a walking tour.

"So what if someone doesn't know my name 100 years from now. What would it matter?" he asks, finishing his coffee. "You have to remember that something could happen in your life next week that could change everything. The important thing is to do what you love, and to enjoy the process. Like in the book, 'The Black Swan,' where there wasn't supposed to be such a thing as a black swan until they discovered one in Australia. The truth is that we all can discover something new about ourselves, about others and about theater, and it's going to be a terrific adventure."

Reach Dottie Ashley at 937-5704 or dashley@postandcourier.com.