Philadelphia Theatre Company brings you darkly comic pharma-fears with ‘EmpathitRaX’

We’ll never quite know why East Falls native and one-time CW Network actress Ana Nogueria wrote a darkly humorous, caustic indictment of the pharmaceutical trade, “EmpathitRaX.”

What we do know is that Nogueria is getting her opportunity to shine with Philadelphia Theatre Company’s area premiere of the show at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre from Feb. 15 to March 5, and that its Philly actors are loving her story line.

The couple at the center of “EmpathitRaX” – characters known in the play as Her and Him, played by Claire Inie-Richards and Makoto Hirano – seek a drug to save their broken relationship. To that end, they are joined in their quest, perhaps too easily, by pharma rep/snake oil salesman Matteo Scammell. When EmpathitRaX hits the market promising emotional intimacy, everyone is supposed to win. Or do they, considering the horrible, life-changing side effects?

People’s Light acting veteran Inie-Richards and performance artist and choreographer-turned-thespian Hirano have their own varied vibes when it comes to actress-turned-playwright Nogueria’s dark comic script.

“I found it immediately funny and touching and surprisingly light-hearted for such heavy subject matter,” said Inie-Richards. “It is also very relatable, with Nogueria’s language rolling easily off the tongue. As a playwright, she really captures the rhythm of natural conversation. It is so natural, I had to make sure to keep myself on task, to honor her parenthetical and interstitial thoughts.”

Hirano, admittedly not an old school actor by trade, is addicted to the innate flow and naturalism of Nogueria’s comic script.

“I enjoy that type of writing, and I enjoy that type of performance,” said Hirano. “More important to me, what stuck out, is that this play was clearly not written for an Asian person. Not that it wasn’t NOT supposed to be for an Asian actor, but it’s not specified in the script. In American theater, that usually means ‘white.’”

Hirano credits Philadelphia Theatre Company’s new artistic directors and director Nell Bang-Jensen for a most wonderful form of representation and inclusivity. “This was a chance for me to put my money where my mouth is in terms of representation – and being represented – for Asian people, working toward that and advocating for that. When this came around, I thought that it would be wonderful that an Asian play this, or any role.”

Calling Hirano a “gift of a cast-mate, grounded within his body,” Inie-Richards speaks to the necessity of comfortability when it comes to each of them playing as part of couple. “These two characters, Her and Him, have been together for 10 years, so there needed to be a shorthand between us, an intimacy and familiarity – that can’t be replicated or manufactured,” she said.

“And yes, there was an ease of interaction between us,” said Hirano. “I’m enjoying getting to know Claire as a friend and a character, just as I am I’m getting to know ‘EmpathitRaX.’ And I’m learning how real actors do it.”