WCT Performing Arts Center Presents True West

In Sam Shepard’s “True West,” the play centers around the complex and often violent relationship between two brothers, Austin and Lee, as they are reunited in their mother’s suburban California home. Austin, a successful screenwriter, and Lee, a drifter with a penchant for trouble, initially struggle to reconcile their vastly different lifestyles. As they collaborate on a screenplay, their rivalry and envy escalate, leading to a series of confrontations and ultimately, a reversal of roles where each brother begins to emulate the other’s way of life.

As the brothers’ roles begin to reverse, the play illustrates their descent into chaos, symbolizing the broader disillusionment with the American Dream. Ultimately, “True West” offers a poignant commentary on the complexities of familial bonds and the search for authenticity in a superficial world.