Jennifer Le Blanc’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, winner of the Silicon Valley Small Theatre Association 2013 Standout New Works Award, is praised for preserving the author’s intellect and wit and Acacia Theatre Company will present this rich version of Austen’s last completed novel at the Todd Wehr Auditorium. “The characters are all rich and dense creations and their interactions really drive the story,” says director Tim Rebers. “As a result, the themes don’t ever get heavy or preachy—we never lost the fact that every character is a real person with real motivations and interests and compelling stories.”
Most of the actors play two or more characters to cover the nearly 25 in the script and the set has been created in such a way to allow quick scene shifts, as the story takes place in more than a dozen distinct locations. Of the cast and crew, Rebers says, “There is a mix of many Acacia regulars and several people new to Acacia. It’s wonderful to have such a mix of friends working on a project like this. It’s a very talented and tight-knit group. We have a very personal connection to all of the show’s characters because we recognize them as similar to people in our own lives.”
Persuasion runs July 11-20 at Concordia University’s Todd Wehr Auditorium, 12800 N. Lake Shore Drive, Mequon. Visit www.acaciatheatre.com or call 414-744-5995 for ticket information.
Theater happenings
Off the Wall Theatre brings to stage the erotic thriller Rope by Patrick Hamilton—a play about two gay college students with a disturbing and controlling relationship who murder a fellow student just to see if they can pull off the perfect crime. The show runs July 17-27, at 127 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-484-8874 or visit www.offthewalltheatre.com.
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Theatre Unchained presents Psycho Beach Party by Charles Busch, a parody of psychodramas, beach movies and slasher films set on Malibu Beach in 1962. The show runs July 11-27, at 1024 S. Fifth St. For tickets, call 414-391-7145 or visit www.theatreunchained.com.
The musical Gypsy, based on Arthur Laurents’ book with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and music by Jule Styne, is loosely grounded on the memoirs of striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee. The show will be put on by Sunset Playhouse July 17-Aug. 10, at the Furlan Auditorium, 800 Elm Grove Road. For tickets, call 262-782-4430 or visit www.sunsetplayhouse.com.