Amtrak 284 Empire Service, part of the 2015 Midwinter Madness Short Play Festival, and brought to audiences by Paloma D'Auria, tells the story of four young people aboard an Amtrak train, as they struggle to decipher their relationship statuses. While one couple may be reaching their "last stop", the other are embarking on an exciting new adventure.

The setting provides a more intimate look into their personal lives and feelings surrounding relationships. There is something about being confined to a space for a period of time that brings us closer to someone. Adelaide (played by Heather Olsen) and Carter (played by Gregory Archer) make up one couple that meet in a sweet way while taking their seats on the train. Carter accidentally hits Adelaide in the face while trying to maneuver his luggage and then proceeds to ask her what she is running to/from. While hesitant at first, Adelaide finally loosens her grip and divulges information about her family life, while Carter explains his dilemma of “getting over” a past relationship. The two bond over a love of superheroes, and create a playful energy with their banter and flirtations. A sweet reminder of the beginning of a relationship when matters are light and fun. On the opposite end of the spectrum are Krista (Sydney Soucy) and Wesley (played by Akoni Steinmann) who are plagued with the heaviness of their relationship. On different pages, this couple can’t seem to agree on what would make their relationship work, as each deals with their inner conflicts. Their angst provides a mirror into what they’ve experienced and how it will impact their future. Their energy is true to what anyone in that situation would experience: uncertainty about professing true feelings and hesitation for making a decision that could alter the life of their relationship. All four actors, as well as Ms. Auria, are students at Marymount Manhattan College; they nicely bring out the emotions of the characters they are portraying and seem wise beyond their years.

While 30 minutes is certainly not enough time to really get to know characters, in this case, the snappy and abridged version worked, as it nicely intertwined brief snapshots with the overall metaphor that is a train’s journey -- where the final stop is up to you. It may lead to a new beginning or it may be the end of a story.