Shoe Story

In 1980s New York City, a curious subculture evolved, spearheaded by kids who were obsessed with owning the newest and coolest tennis shoes—and who sometimes got killed for them. Ben Snyder's play "Shoe Story" explores that subculture, and it's set, appropriately enough, in a shoe store, owned by peppery, fatalistic Mr. Yu (Michael Yama). His sales clerk PeeWee (Norm Johnson) is also a shoe aficionado—until he's jumped and robbed of his new sneakers, spurned by tough chick Sarah (Nikki Brown), and befriended by mysterious, streetwise hipster O.G. Mar (Justin Alston). Mar tells PeeWee the story of another shoe clerk, Juney (also played by Johnson), some years in the past, whose life seems a dark parallel to PeeWee's own. Juney has two obsessions: a pretty, fearful, young single mother, Sabrina (Brown), whom he's courting, and a spectacular pair of red, black, and white sneakers with jeweled trim that he's fatally determined to own.

For much of the play, the connection between the two stories remains mysterious, though it's finally revealed. Snyder captures our interest by examining an odd subculture that's probably unknown to most of us, though we may have noticed one of its more public signs: the pairs of shoes mysteriously tossed onto overhead power lines. By withholding vital information, and throwing in a couple of red herrings, Snyder turns what might have been a predictable tale into an intricate puzzle.

Director Maureen Huskey uses rap music, projections, and flamboyant fight choreography (by Vonzell Carter) to create an aura of ominous, impending violence, and she extracts fine performances from a tight ensemble. Alston makes an intriguing figure of the mysterious Mar, who's more deeply involved than he seems to be. Johnson provides touching portraits of the feckless characters PeeWee and Juney, and Brown shines as her two sharply differentiated characters, tough Sarah and gentle Sabrina. Richard PierreLouis, Craig Grant, Julian Evens, Alex Elliott-Funk, and Yama offer fine support. Sibyl Wickersheimer provides the clever, detailed, shoe-laden set.

Presented by and at Theatre of Note, 1517 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood. Apr. 15–May 22. Fri.–Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m. (323) 856-8611 or www.theatreofnote.com.