Safe Landing: Coyote Embrace

Tim Kough's Safe Landing, Coyote Embrace, which deals with fractured family relationships, child abduction, and mental health, is a continuation of his first production, Safe Landing: How the Owls Saved Me, a narrative of mental health. The first Safe Landing dealt more with healing from suicide, the sequel adding a layer of spiritual and psychological emotional suspense, metaphorically paralleling the family structures of humans and coyotes. The play centers around a federal agent who is protecting a witness who was set to testify about a human trafficking ring from a gang of assassins. The witness gets Jax to hire a band to perform at a remote bait shop-turned-resort called Jack's and Jax's, so she can secretly visit with her daughter.

Coyote Embrace continues to explore the themes established in Kough's How the Owls Saved Me. Yet, it struggles with a subplot that seems to diverge from the delicate and powerful examination of mental health. Although the hitmen's backstories hint at emotional trauma, their narrative arcs feel somewhat disconnected and fail to mesh realistically with the main storyline, diminishing the play's overall impact. The dancing coyotes are an artistic way to symbolize this understanding, yet it would be more powerful if it were explained. Kough aims to illuminate the nature of something often regarded with fear and misunderstanding by using the metaphor of dancing coyotes. Just as many people harbor unfounded concerns about mental illness due to a lack of understanding, the dancing coyotes represent this complex relationship with what we deem dangerous. Instead of shying away from these fears, we should embrace and explore them. The artistic portrayal of the dancing coyotes serves as a compelling symbol for understanding; however, a simple explanation of the similarities between men and animals that Kough desires to share would have been more powerful.

Additionally, the length of the subplot becomes a notable concern; it introduces elements of levity that, while perhaps intended to lighten the serious nature of mental awareness and illness, disrupt the prominence of the main plot. It's incredibly difficult to add levity to the seriousness of any play. When it works, it's like magic; however, balancing those two tones can derail the entire dramatic impact. The imbalance within this production suggests that trimming, or even removing, these scenes could enhance the story's true central themes.

Tim Kough is the best actor in the play, as his performance felt natural and flowed with his character. Danielle Lorae Byas opens the play by rehearsing a comedic performance she hopes to deliver one day before a real audience. It's humorous, but its levity still doesn't work within this play. The ensemble team also struggles with limited acting experience. In some scenes, actors tend to overemphasize their roles, particularly when portraying mental health issues. With growth, they will learn to naturally walk within themes, using a more nuanced approach to strengthen the storyline's impact. Kough, who has openly shared his own mental health struggles, is tackling a very difficult and passionate true-life narrative that continuously needs to be discussed. Still, it's difficult to write the elements of these health issues within a play so that it can be therapeutic and serve as therapy. This play needs work. Still, in time, Kough will find the magic to help others while helping myself.

⭐⭐1/2 STARS

Theater WIT

Safe Landing, Coyote Embrace

Written by Tim Kough

Directed by Jordan Ratliff

Playing Now - July 26, 2026

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