Lafayette Campus News (www.lafayette.edu), April 11, 2008 — College Theater will present controversial playwright Neil LaBute’s production of The Shape of Things on April 23-26 at 8 p.m. each evening in the Black Box at the Williams Center for the Arts.

Tickets are $2 for students, $3 for faculty and staff, and $6 for the public. They can be purchased by calling the Williams Center box office at (610) 330-5009. A brown bag preview will be held noon Monday, April 21 in the Black Box. Lunch will be available for free.

A contemporary take on Pygmalion, LaBute blurs the border between intimacy and psychosis with this disturbing satire of four American college students whose impossible images of beauty lead to destruction. The play delves into the themes of art, sex, and perfection.

The production is being directed by psychology major Kelly Hess ’08 (Prospect Park, N.J.) as her honors thesis project. The production team includes Vicki Neal on lighting design; Richard Kendrick, technical director of the Williams Center for the Arts, on set design; Timothy Frey, sound designer and administrative assistant of cultural programs for the Williams Center for the arts, on sound; and Carolyn Fast ’10 (Rockaway, N.J.) as stage manager.

Michael O’Neill, associate professor of English and director of theater, is Hess’ thesis adviser and has worked with Hess on this project since last year from selecting the play to overseeing her research and the creation of her own directing style.

Hess explains that she selected this production by LaBute because of the thought-provoking relevancy she feels it has for her generation.

“[LaBute] is usually viewed as a misogynist and angry writer, but I feel that his works really reflect on society as it is today,” says Kelly. “He does not try to candy-coat his stories, but instead presents characters that are truly three-dimensional, layered with insecurities and faults that are really interesting.”

“I chose The Shape of Things over LaBute’s recent or more famous works, because I felt it would work well for students my age, particularly the Lafayette campus,” she continues. “The play is set on a small college campus, with characters you would see walking around the Quad or in Farinon, yet it spotlights certain things that we all know everyone thinks or feels but rarely discusses openly, such as sex or changing your physical appearance to appease others.”

Cast: