What is art? What is love?

Florida Rep presents "The Shape of Things"
FLORIDA  WEEKLY STAFF  REPORT news@floridaweekly.com

PARRISH

Florida Repertory Theatre presents "The Shape of Things" by Neil Labute as a special addition to its 10th Anniversary Season, with three performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 23, 24 and 25 at 8 p.m.

The play is an edgy and adult drama featuring the talents of Florida Rep's staff and interns, and is directed by Associate Director, Jason Parrish, seen most recently in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."

"The Shape of Things" is a darkly fascinating look at four young people in a very real and visceral situation, and tests the most deeply entrenched ideas about

art and love.

"Over the last decade we have attracted some amazing young talent, and each season they get a chance to act in our Children's Theatre Series, and occasionally on the main stage," said Producing Artistic Director, Robert Cacioppo. "This year we've taken it one step further in giving them their own production.

"The three great things about the project are that, one, it's a showcase for an extremely talented group of young artists. Two, it is a chance to do a cutting edge play that a segment of the community is really interested in, and finally, it's a very economic ticket price at only $10 and $15. Which is nice with the price of gas and milk." The play begins with a chance meeting in a museum when Evelyn, a sexy artist, encounters Adam, a shy and insecure English major. That innocent first meeting becomes an intense affair that is both dangerous and seductive as four lives are changed forever. A modern day retelling of the fall of man, it isn't until the final exhibition that the truth is revealed.

LAWSON

This controversial play will be performed in the Historic Arcade Theatre, but it will not be the Arcade Theatre that Florida Rep's audiences are used to. The theatre will be transformed into an intimate Black Box setting, and the audience will be seated on the stage on three sides of the performance space.

"The Shape of Things" stars Rob Hagle, Alesia Lawson, Rachel Lomax and John Warren, Florida Rep's acting interns, who have spent the season working in various capacities at the theatre as well as performing in the Lunchbox Theatre Series and the Children's Touring Program.

WARREN

Hagle comes to Florida Rep from Southern Illinois University, and appeared earlier this season in "Almost, Maine." Both Lawson and Warren come from Ashland University (Ohio), and Lomax from the American Music & Dramatic Academy in New York City, and all three were seen in the Rep's recent production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."

The project is also a showcase for the talents of Florida Rep's production interns, and features Heather Ireland (stage manager), Tatia Mc- Millan (costume designer), Tony Castelli (sound designer) and Anna Cable (props). Other designers include Florida Rep's master carpenter, Mike Sabourin (set) and Eric Watkins ("Visiting Mr. Green") as the lighting designer.

"This is a perfect play for these four actors and our design team to work on," said Parrish. "The characters are our age and the situations are real. It really allows us to sink our teeth into a very adult piece of theatre, and it asks some very important questions about the subjectivity of artistic expression, friendship and love."

A catered reception will follow the opening night performance on Friday, May 23, and audience members are invited to join the cast and creative team at the Space 39 Art Gallery in the River District's Patio de Leon.

A talkback will follow each performance.

Tickets are $15 ($10 for donors and subscribers), and all proceeds will benefit the Niels Miller Acting Endowment Fund. Visit www.floridarep.org or call the box office at 239.332.4488.

Florida Repertory Theatre is located on Bay Street between Jackson and Hendry in the Historic Arcade Theatre in the Fort Myers River District. Subscriptions for Season Eleven are available through the box office, at (239) 332.4488), or visit www.floridarep.org for more information.

if you go

>>What: "The Shape of Things" by Neil Labute When: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 23-25 at 8 p.m.

>>Where: Florida Repertory Theatre, located on Bay Street between Jackson and Hendry in the Historic Arcade Theatre in the Fort Myers River District

>>Information: Call (239) 332.4488), or visit www.floridarep.org