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Oregon Stage Work's 'Annapurna' an Odyssey well worth the trip Peter Alzado and Jessica Sage bring Oregon Stage Works back to Ashland with "Annapurna." Photo courtesy of Peter Alzado Tuesday Nov 1, 2016 at 7:35 PM Nov 1, 2016 at 7:35 PM By Jeffrey Gillespie For the Tidings As many artistic endeavors are wont to do, Oregon Stage Works suffered a temporary setback in 2010 when, after eight years under the spotlight, it was forced to temporarily close its doors as the result of a lost lease.  It seems rather fitting, then, that in own his artistic Odyssey, Peter Alzado has reopened the company with a production of "Annapurna" by Sharr White, wherein Alzado plays the character of Ulysses (the Latinized name for Odysseus). In "Annapurna," the name of that epic hero is ascribed to a character who hardly exemplifies the Homeric ideal — Mr. Alzado's Ulysses is a man who appears initially bereft of much courage, fortitude or vision. Living a life of impoverished stasis in an obscure subsection of the Colorado Rockies, he languishes in a forgotten trailer park — sick, surly and unprepared for the arrival of his estranged wife, Emma (played with weary elegance by Jessica Sage), who — due to tricky circumstances of her own — suddenly arrives at her exe's mountain domicile and is greeted with a mixture of shock and contempt from her unwitting host.  Alzado seems to have a particular gift for picking muscular, stripped down plays that rely heavily on the abilities of the actors that inhabit them. This production is no exception. The audience is treated, quite literally, to an exposed and sinewy character who is living waist deep in the muddy trenches of middle-aged regret. Ulysses spends a chunk of time stalking the stage in nothing more than a tiny white apron and a backpack containing an oxygen tank; his initial bravado is made all the more poignant by this stark visual — one that powerfully conveys the obvious fact of his chronic poverty and serious illness. This is a man with secrets he is longing to tell. Alzado does a masterful job of carrying the pain of his character, both psychically and physically, through to an impressive crescendo towards the end of the play.  As Emma, Jessica Sage is more than capable of going 12 rounds with Alzado. Her portrait of a woman who has powered her own way through decades of grief and tragedy is authentic, relatable and deeply touching. Ms. Sage's Emma must live in the moment at all times as a byproduct of perennial trauma. Despite her testy relationship with Ulysses, it becomes increasingly clear that he is one of the best things in her life. They have a common bond as parents to an unseen son — that same son is the reason why their bond has frayed to the point of breaking. The push-pull of the male/female love dynamic is excruciatingly articulated in Mr. White's play, and Sage is a resonant treble clef to Alzado's bass line.  Both actors have an East Coast patina, having worked on the New York stage, and the play has a gritty feeling, evoking David Mamet or Arthur Miller. Alzado and Sage seem to have an almost supernatural sensibility when it comes to reading an audience; perhaps that is because, in addition to acting, they both have decades of experience in direction and production. It's moving and uplifting to see two seasoned professionals making great art together in a somewhat less forgiving environment than is often seen at other venues around town. There's no fog juice or strobe lighting for this stoic pair — just some damn fine acting and a satisfying storyline that's worth your time, dollar and ongoing attention. If the quality of performance shown here is an example of what we have to look forward to from a rebooted OSW, Alzado and his collaborators have little to fear. On with the show. Remaining performances of "Annapurna" begin at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4-6, at Temple Emek Shalom, 1800 East Main St., Ashland. Tickets ($20/18) are available online at oregonstageworks.com and in person at Paddington Station and the Music Coop. Ashland resident Jeffrey Gillespie is a Daily Tidings columnist, arts reviewer and freelance writer. Email him at [email protected].