• March 6, 2006

  Two-person comedy next ISU Theatre production

• A chance encounter allows two people leading difficult lives an opportunity to reconnect in the next ISU Theatre production.
  
  "Laughing Wild" will be presented March 23-25 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 26, at 2 p.m., in the Maintenance Shop of the Memorial Union on the Iowa State University campus. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for students and are available at the Iowa State Center Ticket office at 515-294-3347.
  
  Christopher Durang's comedy is a provocative and funny study about the perils and stresses of modern life in urban America. The show is this year's ISU Theatre's student production and is directed by performing arts major Philip Henry.
  
  "I find this show hilarious," Henry says. "Durang is a great comic writer who places his characters in absurd situations. And in a lot of ways 'Laughing Wild' is very timely with its social references."
  
  Henry says the comedy is very unique in its form. The play consists of two monologues plus a hilarious playlet, which brings the two characters together.
  
  The entire first act features first the monologue by the female character (portrayed by Kim Chelf) followed by the man's (Jason Pollard) monologue. Through their monologues we realize that both have led difficult lives and can't form any real connections with individuals. The woman has mental problems, while the man had a troubled childhood.
  
  "Both have trouble relating with other people," Henry said. "Then a chance encounter in a supermarket where she literally beats him up over a can of tuna leads to the human contact they so desperately need although they never see each other again."
  
  The second act consists of the supermarket scene and parallel monologues.
  
  The Maintenance Shop is a perfect venue for Durang's 1987 play Henry says.
  
  "This is a small cast and the dialogue is very intimate where the characters talk directly to the audience," Henry said.

Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111. Published by: University Relations, online@iastate.edu. Copyright © 1995-2004, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.

Non-Discrimination Statement and Information Disclosures

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Ames, Iowa 50011-1302

General Information: (515) 294-7740

Academic Advising: (515) 294-4831

Email: las@iastate.edu

Michael Whiteford - Dean

Bret Larwick - Director of Technology

Dave Gieseke - Director of Communications