\u00a0Theatre UCF, part of the UCF School of Performing Arts, will present (a love story) by Kelly Lusk from Feb. 19-March 1 in the UCF Black Box. The new play was selected from readings at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater\u2019s 2013 PlayFest!<\/p>\n
Lusk wrote the play while completing his MFA in playwriting at Indiana University. The play centers around six characters who are in various stages of finding love. A three-person chorus helps narrate the story and plays supporting roles, including a twig, a sprout, and an ant.<\/p>\n
Director Mark Routhier, who directed last year\u2019s Theatre UCF production of Leveling Up, as well as The Best of Enemies at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater this fall, says (a love story) \u201cstarts sparkly and has delightful theatricality. Kelly [Lusk] has taken the idea of a Greek chorus and given it a contemporary edge. It\u2019s not a realistic straight-ahead presentation; this is a world where animals and plants can talk. And while it is humorous, it isn\u2019t a rom-com vision of love.\u201d<\/p>\n
Actor Eric Eichenlaub, an MFA Acting student, agrees with Routhier, saying that the play is not what one would expect from a typical love story.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a story about love, just not as you would expect it to be,\u201d Eichenlaub says. \u201cThis is a play about people loving people to the best of their abilities. Loving their children as best they can, loving romantically as best as they can. Sometimes they succeed and sometimes they fail. But they are always trying.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eichenlaub hedges when asked if his character, Jack, is successful in loving. \u201cThis is a very difficult role. It\u2019s hard with a character like Jack not to judge his actions or cast judgment on who he is. But I have to get past that and find what I can connect to. I\u2019m lucky because Mark [Routhier] is great at helping his actors connect to their characters and Maddie [Tarbox, who plays Jack\u2019s love interest] is a great scene partner.\u201d
\nScenic Designer Chris McKinney, who is in his final year in the BFA Design and Technology program, says he was almost overwhelmed when he first read the script. \u201cHow are we going to pull this off? This play is very complex with many different facets. Each character\u2019s choices affect not only their immediate world, but the world around them. We had to design a set that reflects the fact that each character inhabits their own environment, but also reveals how they are all interrelated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eichenlaub says (a love story) is ideal for a university setting, and UCF in particular. \u201cYou can\u2019t get this show anywhere else. UCF\u2019s partnership with the Shakes afforded us the ability to get access to a great new script. And we have the freedom to take chances, which is imperative in an academic setting. Not many theaters can take the risk of doing a play like this.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a structural, visual, and character standpoint, this is a vastly different show than you usually see on stage. This play is a conversation starter. It\u2019s for people who have been in love for a long time, it\u2019s for people who have never been in love. But everyone who comes will be able to find something to latch onto.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lusk will join Routhier for a post-show discussion on Thursday, Feb, 19. This play contains profanity, violence, and sexual situations, and is not suitable for young audiences.<\/p>\n
Production at a glance:<\/p>\n
(a love story)<\/strong><\/p>\n Feb. 19, 20, 21, 26, 27, and 28 at 8 p.m. <\/p>\n Feb. 22 and March 1 at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n $20 standard, $18 senior, $10 student<\/p>\n Black Box, Theatre Building 6, 4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando<\/p>\n 407-823-1500<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.theatre.ucf.edu<\/p>\n theatre@ucf.edu<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u00a0Theatre UCF, part of the UCF School of Performing Arts, will present (a love story) by Kelly Lusk from Feb. 19-March 1 in the UCF Black Box. The new play was selected from readings at the Orlando Shakespeare Theater\u2019s 2013 PlayFest! Lusk wrote the play while completing his MFA in playwriting at Indiana University. The play centers around six characters…","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":64159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-twocol.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[13237,10247,4165,14919],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-64158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theatre-ucf","tag-eric-eichenlaub","tag-mark-routhier","tag-school-of-performing-arts","tag-theatre-ucf"],"yoast_head":"\n