Play “Is That Man Your Husband?” explores ups, downs of marriage

Consider the play's title a not-quite-rhetorical question, uttered in the tones a trusted girlfriend might use when speaking to a pal saddled with a less-than-stellar guy.

"Is That Man Your Husband?"

It signals exactly the marital conundrum audience members will explore Sunday when the comedy by Las Vegas writer/director/actor Michelle Thompson is presented at West Las Vegas Library Theatre.

Thompson says it's the second time the comedic piece will be presented here.

"I wrote this particular play back in, like, 2004," she says. "Then, we did it at the West Las Vegas Library and it got really good reviews from people in the community."
In fact, response from audiences here was so good that Thompson took the show on the road, staging it in several states in the South and filming it for a video release, too.

Thompson describes the play as a comedy, although it does have a dramatic, and even borderline intense, moment or two.

"In a nutshell, it's about a couple who go through all kinds of roller coaster situations because they have trouble communicating," she says.

"They're married, and they go through all this trial and tribulation which causes us to question, 'Is that really your husband or is it just some guy you married?'

"But the crux of the story is, we show marriages going through things -- maybe even separation, maybe even divorce -- but if it's ordained and if you love each other, it's good."

Thompson -- also known by her artistic honorific, "Ms. Michelle" -- was born and raised in Las Vegas and is a graduate of Valley High School.

"I've just been writing all my life," Thompson says. "This is something I've always loved. I remember my dad used to build a little platform on my porch so I could do plays with my friends.

"As I grew into my craft, I realized I like to tell stories, I like to create the whole thing. So I've had my hand involved in every aspect of production, from writing to producing to playing lead roles to singing to dancing to writing music.

"What I like to do is, I like to tell stories that reach people's hearts and change their lives and that will cause them to think," Thompson says. "I think the only stories, plays, movies, whatever, that really have an impact on us are the ones that cause us to change our thinking or enhance our thinking or make us think, period.

"Also, I really try to pride myself on writing stories that everyday people can go, 'Oh, wow.' ''

In addition to such comedies as "Is That Man Your Husband?," Thompson's work includes considerably heavier plays. For example, "TransParent -- A Stage Play," her drama about pedophilia, AIDS and forgiveness, was presented at the West Las Vegas Library last August.

After that production, "there were grown men walking out of there crying," Thompson recalls. "So it was real intense."

The range of Thompson's work speaks to her desire to not be pigeonholed.

"I want my particular niche to be that, 'She writes heartfelt things. You've got to see her productions.' I don't want to have a particular character or something like that that people define my work by. I want them to define my work by what they feel."
As is true with most of her productions here, Thompson -- who will play the lead role of Chardonnay -- this weekend will surround herself with local performers, some of whom she has known since they were kids.

"I'm going to feature a lot of awesome local talent," she says, "the best of the best from local talent."
Also in the cast this weekend will be R&B performer Tony Terry, who, Thompson says, will perform his 1991 hit, "With You."

Meanwhile, fans of Thompson's work soon may find themselves following her in another medium. Thompson says she's started taking classes in cinema production, because "my next step is making movies."

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280.