By Arlene McKanic
The Amoralists theater company was created one day about two years ago when Astoria residents Matt Pilieci, Derek Ahonen and James Kautz decided to leave Los Angeles in a little red Mustang and head to Las Vegas, where they were sure they would win at least 60 grand to start their company. They not only didn’t win 60 grand, they lost money. They started the company anyway. They put away a bit of money each week, and now their company is mostly self−financed.
The guys met at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts when they were 18 years old and studying to be actors.
“We originally came up with The Amoralists because we were trying to create work with no moral judgment,” says Pilieci. “Theater tends to judge its characters. We wanted to present the good and bad side to all characters.”
“The Amoralists are obsessed with 70’s films, like ‘Shampoo,’ ‘Dog Day Afternoon,’ ‘Coming Home,’ ‘The Last Detail’ — movies that really deal with humanity in which the characters weren’t necessarily good or evil,” Ahonen said.
Thus their latest work, “Amerissiah,” which will be at the The Gene Frankel Theater in NoHo through Dec. 7, tells the story of Barry, a man who’s seemingly dying of bone cancer and thinks he’s the Messiah. No doubt the copious amounts of pot given him by his wiggy hippie wife encourage him in his belief. Not surprisingly, Barry is surrounded by an equally nutty, if loving, family.
