New theatre company opens with a clash of titans.

One of the great pairings in theatrical history was between Stella Adler and Marlon Brando. Though Brando studied with the great acting guru only one year—between 1943 and 1944—it was a powerful confluence of two major talents, each making the other even more of a legend. When Adler was asked if she recognized Marlon's talent from the beginning, she said "No".  Regardless she was a major force in revealing his brilliance and accelerating his career. Did their relationship go beyond that? Nobody know for sure. But now theatergoers can appreciate the kind of dynamics that may have occurred with a mesmerizing new play The Acting Lesson at New York's Legacy Stage Ensemble. This two-character play by Wesley St. John provides the audience with everything that makes great theater: love, hate, regret, suspicion, jealousy, and twist after emotional twist.  The players—no, combatants—are a brutish young yacht captain/hustler, who aspires to act, and a Manhattan's leading drama teacher, a bitter pessimist who recognizes the potential of his brooding charisma.The Acting Lesson is the first production of this new theater company, and they're off to a powerful start. Director Laurie Rae Waugh has found the perfect pairing in Kitty Hendrix and Joshuah Patriarco, and having found it has created one of the tensest productions of the year—one that left this writer feeling completely out of breath, after having done nothing but watch the fireworks during a special preview.  I highly recommend this play to any of my friends or fans who are in New York between October 10-21. For tickets priced far below Broadway productions that don't deliver anywhere near as much impact, call 212-868-4444.