Stage Review - The Coast Starlight (BAT Theatre)

Stage Review - The Coast Starlight
Presented By: Burien Actors Theatre (BAT) - Burien, WA
Show Run: September 26 - October 19, 2025
Date Reviewed: Friday, September 26, 2025 (Opening Night)
Run Time: 100 minutes (no intermission)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

As the lights dim and the stage opens into a softly suggested train interior, the Burien Actors Theatre (BAT) production of The Coast Starlight, directed by Maggie Larrick and running on stage at the Kennedy Catholic High School theatre through October 19, invites the audience not on a physical journey but an emotional one. Keith Bunin’s play isn’t about rails or destinations so much as about connection, regret, and the choices that define us. A young man boards a train carrying a life-changing secret, and along the way encounters strangers whose lives intersect with his in brief but meaningful ways. The production embraces the quiet, reflective nature of the piece, allowing the silences and glances to speak just as clearly as the words.

Keith Bunin wrote The Coast Starlight after being commissioned by La Jolla Playhouse, who first produced the play in 2019, after his many travels up and down the west coast. The play feels like a lengthy journey by train, containing both exciting moments, and slower ones, while capturing the contemplative nature of train travel, as passengers come and go, speaking to each other, or regretting not doing so, and wondering what could have been. The focus of the show is on its characters, and this production allows the spotlight to reside on them and their thoughts.

The set, designed by Eric Dickman, is as simple as it gets—just a series of chairs representing train seats and a small cabinet that stands in for the luggage area—but that simplicity is the point. It lets the production reflect the play’s character-driven nature, allowing the actors to carry the storytelling. The set becomes more a suggestion than a structure, a backdrop against which conversation and memory unfold. Eric’s sound design mirrors that restraint beautifully; the faint hum and clack of a train on its tracks is less an effect than an undertone, subtle enough to register subconsciously but strong enough to add depth to what’s happening on stage. The lighting, too, designed by Rob Falk, provides a sense of movement, shifting gently between brightness and softness as the train progresses on its journey. Together, these elements, along with costumes by Carolann Voltarel, create a sense of space and time without ever overwhelming the intimacy of the story.

The show itself feels constructed like a series of recollections. While there are a few slow moments—particularly during longer monologues—they’re offset by the ensemble scenes, which pulse with energy and emotional connection. Those moments when the entire cast is engaged on stage are the high-water marks of the production, alive with rhythm and resonance. Director Maggie Larrick’s pacing is patient and confident, trusting the audience to lean in rather than rush ahead. There’s a quiet confidence in her staging that honors the material and the performers.

From a performance perspective, Ariel Rose stands out as Jane, the animator on her way to Seattle to see her boyfriend. There’s a sweetness and bashfulness about her that gives the character dimension, and beneath it all she carries a gentle sadness that surfaces in the most unguarded moments. Ariel is engaging throughout, holding the audience’s attention even when the dialogue slows. Joey Sponseller’s delivery as T.J., the Navy medic, feels deliberate and measured—he carries the posture of a soldier and the restraint of someone burdened by memory. Alyson Lapan as Anna is quiet and understated, occasionally difficult to discern even toward the center of the auditorium, yet her subdued approach fits the play’s introspective tone. Nicole Lockett injects vitality as Liz, the brash, outspoken passenger who bursts onto the train mid-phone call. She’s all energy and impulse, with a flirtatious boldness that enlivens every scene she’s in. Ben Bailey as Noah, the drifting war veteran, finds the right blend of roughness and reflection, and Sean Morrin easily rubs everyone the wrong way as Ed, the rude, self-absorbed salesman whose abrasiveness seems to exist just to test the patience of the others.

What makes this production resonate is its restraint. BAT doesn’t overreach or embellish; it simply tells the story. The company trusts the playwright’s words and trusts the audience to meet them head on. It’s a small-scale show that manages to feel larger in emotional scope than its staging might suggest. While a few pacing issues linger and certain lines get lost in the quiet moments, the overall effect is thoughtful and affecting.

The Coast Starlight captures the nature of rail travel, its highs, lows, contemplative nature, and sense of time passing. The Burien Actors Theatre’s production is a modest one that finds its strength in honesty. It reminds us that the most meaningful journeys often happen internally, and that the strangers we meet along the way sometimes reflect the parts of ourselves we’ve yet to understand. BAT’s staging captures that spirit with simplicity and sincerity—a heartfelt ride worth taking before it reaches its final stop on October 19.

The west coast premiere of The Coast Starlight, presented by BAT Theatre, runs on stage at Kennedy Catholic High School through October 19. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://battheatre.org/.

Photo credit: Michael Brunk