Theatre, says Autumn Rose, a student and featured player in the theatre department’s season opener, Equus, is “a nice escape from reality and it gives you a new perspective on life and other people’s lives.”
The Tony award-winning play, an emotionally charged show that deals with issues of spirituality, passion, and obsession, opens Friday in Gorham and runs until October 15.
The play, written by Peter Shaffer, ran for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway and won the 1975 Tony award for best play. It follows the story of stable boy Alan Strand (Ian Carlsen, junior theatre major) who questions the norms of society and creates his own spirituality. His obsession with horses leads him to stab six horses in the eyes. Strand is referred to a psychiatrist, Dr. Martin Dysart (John Coons, senior music major) who finds himself fascinated by his patient’s obsession.
“It’s about a passion for life and different people’s ideas of what that is,” said Autumn Rose, who plays Strand’s love interest, Jill Mason.
Director Walter Stump, a theatre professor explains the key issue raised by the play: “is normalcy preferable to a fully lived life?” Stump, who has been teaching theatre for nearly 40 years, will be retiring after this year. He chose this play as his 120th production because it is so complex.
“Dysart is faced with the dilemma of ‘curing’ a passionate, god-worshipping Alan Strand and making him a normal member of society or allowing the boy to remain in contact with the gods of old,” said Stump. Dysart discovers his own need to fulfill his passion as he studies his patient.
The play is directed toward a mature audience only, as there is a nude scene shared between Strand and Jill. About this scene, Stump says: “Normally I do not like to do nude scenes as I find them distracting to the play. They tend to embarrass or outrage an audience. The nude scene in Equus, however, is absolutely necessary to the understanding of the play.”
The cast and crew are students, mostly theatre majors. “I (have) become so close to everyone involved in the piece,” said Rose. “Every time you do a show, you get so emotionally attached. You get to know people and their lives really well.”
Stump said of his students, “They are supportive, talented, and intellectually stimulating. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to finish out my directing career at USM.” This will be his 34th year teaching and directing at USM, and his 44th production with the department.
Rose said that attendance at shows has been relatively low in the past. Last season, some shows were seen by as few as 125 students, only a small portion of the student body. Cast members are hoping for a higher attendance at the show.
Tickets can be purchased at Russell Hall or by calling 780-5151 ($5 for USM students). Show times are at 7:30 p.m. on October 6, 7, 12, 13, 14; and at 5:00 p.m. on October 8, 11, 15. ?