Igniting the Spark is a short one act that has potential as an expanded full length play, but doesn’t offer much in its current form. The story is one of lesbian seduction and the “dance” between Callay Alatriste (Sophie Zmorrod), submissive policewoman, and Dr. Marissa Giancarlo (Melody Ladd), a predatory dom. The scene runs for about 40 minutes, but never goes anywhere. It does introduce topics that could be interesting if fully explored. Incest, pedophilia, rape, emotional abuse are all things that Callay may have suffered, but we get little feeling for when, how and if they actually happened.

If the scene were shortened, the play has the bones of wonderful Gillmanesque comic tragedy. We would learn more and more about Callay’s past suffering and current repetition of the pattern. But the real protagonist would be Crystal Star Dancer (Elena Ester), Callay’s seemingly well balanced artist roommate, who would try to save Callay from herself and the clutches of Dr. Giancarlo, but would find herself rebuffed at every turn and eventually destroyed as she is forced to watch Callay’s voluntary journey to self destruction.

Zmorrod, Ladd, and Ester provided wonderful performances and Nicholas Minas direction kept the show moving and interesting. Kathleen Potts writing does keep the play moving forward, but ultimately the play currently stops in the middle of no where and we know very little about the characters or where they are going.