The Backroad Home

THE BACKROAD HOME, written and performed by Christopher Allport, explores the time-honored father/son theme in a fresh and compelling way. Allport, a successful TV and theatre actor, is not only the son of a medal-winning WW II vet but descends from a proud military family; yet, when it came time for him to serve in Viet Nam, he opted, out of conscience, to evade the draft.

This put him on a collision course with his father, the ramifications of which comprise the essence of his solo play (though he is aided by two musicians--Dennis O'Hanlon and Ross Levinson--who back up his own guitar work and original songs). The difference in values between the 40s and 60s generations were vast and profound, yet ultimately Allport managed to bridge the gap and find the way to his father's heart and love.

Allport's journey home had many stops and starts--dropping out of college, hitting the open road, becoming part of the avant-garde theatre scene in New York, living poor but free, breaking into television. THE BACKROAD HOME brings all this to life in a warm, multi-layered way, thanks to Allport's performing gifts and to Paul Linke's deft direction.