Fallen Saints: Tales of Blaze City (review)

 Spoilers ahoy!

For those of you who don't know, Force of Nature Productions creates a series of immersive experiences each year under the general title Fallen Saints, followed by a specific title, which this year is Tales of Blaze City.  

Past iterations have included visits of Salem during the Witch Trials, or an Irish pub on the night a female vampire comes to visit.  This year, we enter into a world of a super hero comic book, on a quest to find what is wrong with this world and somehow heal its moral and psychic wounds. 

Twenty people at a time are led into the weird monochromatic reality that is Blaze City, with three different 'guides' showing the way.  On my excursion, our guide was a costumed vigilante known as Black Jay--and kudos the the designers of this world not least for her costume.

Audience members do more than watch and listen, but to some extent interact with the characters and situations--which increasing disturb.  Well, we are nearing Halloween after all...

Did I enjoy myself?  Yes!  The relatively small space involved wove a startling spell of hope and despair, in an extremely noir atmosphere.  I had a lot of fun that night am tempted to go again to see if I can experience it via a different guide.

Written by Tyler Biachi and directed by Sebastian Munoz, the cast (who run a gamut from super villains to ghost children, innocent victims and struggling mental patients) consists of Chris Brosnan, Dina Cataldi, Ron Gabaldon, Marlo Johnson, Klaire Johnson, Teresa Jusino, Michael Guthrie Minty, Tricia Guthrie Minty, Michelle Miyamoto-Galván, Xander Kesinger, Ash Muñoz, Melissa Muñoz, William Lopez Muñoz, Carly Nahin, Matthew Scheel, Roger Thomsen, Heather Vazquez, Sebastian Vazquez, and Anne Westcott-Navarrette.

Tales of Blaze City plays Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, 9pm, and 10pm until September 27, 2025 at Sawyer’s Playhouse 11031 Camarillo St North Hollywood, CA 91602

@fonprods