Two kindred spirits —Stella, played by Linda Alper, and Lou, played by Michael J. Hume — seek solace as they navigate changing times and relationships past in Rogue Theater Company’s production of “Stella and Lou.” (Photo by Bob Palermini)

THEATER REVIEW: Rogue Theatre Company’s Stella & Lou finds ‘the beauty of discomfort’

By LUCIE K. SCHEUER for the Rogue Valley Times March 23. 2026

Acclaimed actress Viola Davis recently said on a “CBS Sunday Morning” interview that acting is about being uncomfortable. It is “The first thing you learn in acting. The beauty of discomfort, the beauty of being private in public… Itʼs the key to healing. Itʼs the gateway to connection…Thatʼs how we make the greatest discoveries in life …when something costs us a little something.”

“Stella and Lou,” Rogue Theatre Companyʼs opening season production, at the Richard L. Hay Center at Grizzly Peak Winery, is an intimate, moving, unfolding conversation between two friends that is, at times, uncomfortable. But it is also “the beauty of discomfort,” that makes this play engaging and entertaining. And it is well worth stopping into the set of “Louʼs bar,” to watch two, wonderful, accomplished, veteran actors, Linda Alper and Michael J. Hume, in the guise of a retiring RN named Stella, and a bar owner named Lou, untangle their relationships over warm beer and conversation.

Maybe it’s the limited space. Maybe it’s the success of previous two-hander productions. Jessica Sage, Producing Artistic Director, and the RTC have a knack for stories that play out like faint memories. They are so close to experiences we have all had. The longing for family, the loss of intimate partners, loneliness. Grief that often accompanies those experiences.

Thereʼs a lot that gets rolled out in a short period of time in “Stella and Lou.” Lou, has just returned from a wake for a bar regular named Riley, who has disappointed him. He is cleaning up when Stella stops in for a drink. As their conversation unfolds, Stella informs Lou sheʼs thinking about moving to Florida to be near her daughter. You can tell she is hoping he will ask her to stay. Stella then invites him to a night on the town in Atlantic City but Lou is reticent. Heʼs been harboring grief for two years over his wifeʼs death. Stella, on the other hand, is divorced. Her adult kids have problems. We then discover Louʼs wife suffered a long illness in the hospital before she died and Stella just happened to be her nurse. Actor Hume lays bare Louʼs sorrow, fears and vulnerability in natural succession. Alper as Stella is the risk-taker. She’s hesitant, then becomes insistent. A nice counterpoint to Hume.

Part of their success can be attributed to Henry Woroniczʼs skillful directing. The way the actors respond to one another is pure art. Hume as Lou, tries distancing himself from Stella, moving behind the bar. Alper as Stella, sits at the bar. Both move to different tables as the tension builds. Hume pulls away. Alper leans in. Stella and Lou are engaging in an unconscious approach-avoidance dance around the barroom.

The 75-minute view into Lou and Stellaʼs lives goes quickly. The final scene resolves maybe a little too quickly, leaving Louʼs final decision to be a little too decisive for someone who has been resistant throughout most of the play. Nevertheless, it works. “Stella and Lou,” is one of many character-driven plays by professor, playwright, TV and filmwriter Bruce Graham. It brings into focus our desire for connection, understanding and love as we age. Louʼs may not be Cheers, but itʼs an interesting place to spend an afternoon.

Productions of “Stella & Lou” are scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, through March 29, at Grizzly Peak Winery, 1600 E. Nevada St., Ashland. Regular tickets are $40; $45 at the door.