Playwright: Shari Shattuck
Director: Michael T. Weiss

Cast:
Haley .... Shari Shattuck
Cliff .... Tommy Hinkley
Kate .... Carolyn Hennesy
Mac .... Ronn Moss
Avery .... Christian Noble
Rachael .... Karesa McElheny
Loneliness .... Spencer Beglarian

Single female screenwriter Haley and married novelist Cliff team up to write a play. Soon his wife Kate finds out that the two share not only work. They come up with a play about a woman with a husband and a lover, a gender-flipped version of their own story. Both stories blend into each other, and their fictional characters come to life, and the writers interact with them.
“In Progress” is actress Shari Shattuck’s first play.

At the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, CA 90046
Till Sept. 19, 1993, Thursdays – Sundays ; running time: 1:55 hours

Excerpts from the review by Jan Breslauer, LA Times / Theatre Review: Progress Not Usual Romantic Comedy, Sept. 8, 1993:
“In Progress” has all the markings of the kind of romantic comedy that even intrepid theatregoers have seen thrice too often. But Shari Shattuck’s smart play at the Matrix is a big cut above most this-one’s-having-an-affair-with-that-one ditties. ... The script could still use some refining, though. ... Director Michael Weiss’ staging is clean and efficient, but he could be more adventurous. ...

Another review from Variety:
by Hoyt Hilsman - Aug 25, 1993
(Matrix Theatre, W. Hollywood; 99 seats; $ 10 top)
Shattuck's energetic characters and situations, while contemporary, seem torn from the pages of '30s screwball comedies. When novelist Cliff (Tommy Hinkley) and screenwriter Haley (Shattuck) team up to write a romantic play, their characters begin to act out some of the creators' fondest fantasies and worst fears.
In the play within a play, painter Racheal (Karesa McElheny) takes a lover, Avery (Christian Noble), which leads to problems with Racheal's husband, Mac (Ronn Moss).
As the writers argue over the shape of the play and the characters' motivations, art begins to imitate life, and the two scribes come close to falling in love. Cliff's wife Kate (Carolyn Hennesy) begins reading all the signals, and we're off to the races with dueling love triangles.
Rather than leaning on one-liners, Shattuck is faithful to her characters, finding their real emotions and never shortchanging them for a joke. She also has the rare ability to take a theatrical device, such as writers pulling the strings of their characters' lives, and make it fresh.
While the tone is romantic comedy, there are enough dark edges to give the piece some depth. A continuing, metaphorical character is Loneliness (Spencer Beglarian), who takes his turn with each of the people in the play. One scene between the distraught Haley, who is consoling herself with Billie Holliday records late at night, and her old friend Loneliness is terrifically written and performed by Shattuck.
The ensemble is not only talented, but also strikingly attractive. Hinkley is a perfect foil for Haley's romantic fantasies, and shines as the rumpled yet devastatingly appealing writer. Hennesy is terrific as the writer's wife who, while she loves her husband and kids, is still more than a tad envious of the single Haley, who she quips has "butt you could bounce a quarter off of."
The "fictional" players are also excellent. McElheny is stylishly seductive as the philandering painter; Noble is endearing as her enthusiastically innocent lover, and Moss gives a finely crafted performance as the narcissistic yet vulnerable husband. Beglarian shows solid comedic gifts as Loneliness.
Direction by Michael Weiss is solid, carefully crafting the tone of the piece. However, the evening belongs indisputably to Shari Shattuck.

Trivia:
- Shari Shattuck (Ashley Abbot Carlton in “Young and Restless”, 1996-99) was married to Ronn Moss since January 1990. Her first novel “Loaded” was published in August. 2003. In 1986, she appeared in the movie “The Naked Cage” along John Terlesky, director of Michael’s movie “Written In Blood”.
- Ronn Moss (Ridge Forrester in “Bold and Beautiful”) was married to Shari Shattuck till July 2002, and they have two daughters. He had a guest appearance in an episode of “Days Of Our Lives” in 1984 as a Las Vegas waiter. Ronn and Shari appeared together again in the Italian mini series “Il Barone” in 1996.
- Christian Noble and Karesa McElheny were also married at the time of the play, but have divorced in September 2000.