NORTHVILLE, Mich.–For a good portion of David Wells’ new play, Young Americans, making its world premier at The Tipping Point here, one wonders why we are, in fact, watching the two actors on stage interacting. But wait. There comes a Mamet-like turn that brings it into focus.

Young Americans centers on British rocker Owen Lovejoy (Michael Brian Ogden) who is holed up in his dressing room pre-concert. He is a tempermental diva who must have his tea and fruit plate, sans rasberries!, and he has no patience for the madding throng of mostly teenage girls who have filled up the corridors near his dressing room.

CeCe (Katie Terpstra) is a 16-year old fangirl with an actual fanzine devoted to Lovejoy and his stage persona, Caesar Moon. She manages to sneak into Owen’s dressing room ostensibly to finally land an interview with the stage idol.

Ogden utterly nails his accent and British rocker persona, from his side-shaved head and jewelry to his chastisements of people on the phone for not cow-towing enough to suit him. Tersptra, waif-like and adoring, but with a touch of threatening teenager even from the beginning of the play (something tells me this girl is trouble) looks like she could play 16 until she is 40.

Wells’ dialogue writing is spot on, and delivered smartly and deftly by these two fine actors. But back to the reason for this play. As the typical back and forth between fanzine editor with a few hundred followers and object of her attention unfolds, I kept wondering where this one-act play was headed. Wells does a good job, though, of peppering the action with little moments that lift the cred and importance of CeCe before we really get down to what she has…what she is there for. Lovejoy’s age is not specifically told but we can guess he is around 25-26, and as CeCe’s importance gradually ratchets up even as she punctuates her speech with an insufferanle number of “Squee!” blurts, we see that he is really stuck in a younger time in his life.

There is a universal in this play; the need that many teens have to be someone else. The pain and angst coming at them from all directions, internally from hormones and natural insecurities, plus the myriad ways external forces can play havoc on their psyches and hearts is a force that plays in any language and culture.

Directed by Frannie Shepherd-Bates, with excellent set and prop design by Monika Essen (a dressing room that has been visited upon by 20 years of rock acts passing through), Young Americans is a story that can appeal to a broad audience. Set in 1986, older patrons will grab hold of the many references to music from their coming of age time–The Rolling Stones especially–and younger audience members (teens recommended) should be able to relate to the notion that all that glitters is not gold, especially if it is in the form of bling jewelry, fame and money.

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