*** When you enter the Raven Theatre to be witness to “The Love Object”, you are issued a “backstage pass”, as you are about to be a witness to a recording and a documentary being filmed. That is what the play written by Justine Gelfman and sharply directed by Jasmine B. Gunter truly feels like. During the 89 minutes ( no intermission) we watch two very close friends, women who have relied on each other to help them become the “stars” they are lose everything they thought they had.

Ramona ( a dynamic performance by Emily Holland, who also has a powerful singing voice) is about to go on a sold out tour and release a new recording. At the same time, her “bestie” Paula (deftly handled by Kaylah Marie Crosby) who has been her manager has advised her that she is going back to college and will make her own mark in the world. Ramona tells Paula that she is needed more than ever as a sex tape of her is out there and they must find a way to stop it before it ruins her tour and puts her in financial straits.

What takes place from this point is one surprise after another relative to these two women who have relied on each other as well as Simon (William Anthony Sebastian Rose II) who is part of it all, including being Paula’s boyfriend. I don’t like giving away stories like this one, but will tell you that it is not a typical love triangle, The back-up singers/dancers are three talented performers: Cat Christmas, Mollyanne Nunn and Spencer Diaz Tootle.

The almost 90 minutes moves quickly and you need to be aware of the content. It is quite adult. This is a modern day version of Euripides “Hippolytus” and examines the sexualization of women celebrities ( think about stars like “Cher”, “JLO”,and of course the most famous one today, Taylor Swift. It also looks at power struggles between friends of different races as well as capitalism. There are many ups and downs during this story, but they are handled well and will keep you into the characters, both the two leads and the ensemble members.

For the record, the scenic design (Tianxuan Chen) is very cleverly done, considering the intimacy of the venue ( this is the Schwartz Stage) and the costumes (Ben Argenta Kress) very stylish. Newt Schottelkotte’s sound design and original music were right on and the lighting by Seojung Jang worked to perfection. The choreography ( Angela Grace) for the big number was well done and the propmaster (Racquel Postiglione) and intimacy/violence designer (Courtney Abbott) helped make the story work.

While the subject matter may not be fore you, if you are open to seeing a quality new work, making its World Premiere!, this is a great opportunity to do so. As I said, the content may not be your cup of tea, but the performances are worthy of watching!

Presented by The Story Theatre Company. They pose questions with their new works that are designed to dismantle racism and inequity, yet while cultivating community through activism and catharsis.

“The Love Object” will continue Thru – Nov 3 with performances as follows: