Spring Break
NT Theatre production deals with issues of violence in home
"A Lie of the Mind" opens Friday
Sara Southerland
Intern
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The NT Theatre Department presents "A Lie of the Mind," a contemporary, realist play by Sam Shepard which opens Friday night at the Studio Theatre.
Directed by associate professor of theatre arts Margorie Hayes and assistant director Marian Brock, "A Lie of the Mind" runs Oct. 14-16 and 20-23, and begins at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.
The play is about two families in the midst of domestic violence. Cedar Hill senior A.J. Adams plays Beth, a married woman who is beaten into oblivion by her husband, Jake.
She develops aphasia, a language disorder that can be caused by a stroke, or, as in this case, by severe blows to the head.
Justin Arnold plays the role of Jake, the guilty husband who goes out of his mind. The play begins after the initial damage has been done, and shows the aftermath of the couple within their own homes living in a series of drama-filled family dynamics.
Brock, an Austin senior and theatre performance major, says this is her first time to direct anything at NT. "I've learned so much being on the other side of the table," Brock said. "The actors are all so individually talented and hardworking. They've been great."
Brock says that Hayes has made the transition from actor to director a comfortable one by listening to her ideas and really making her a part of the overall decision-making process.
"Every now and then, she'll lean across the table and give me pearls of wisdom," Brock said. "She's intelligent. It's been amazing working with her."
A couple of the actors spent time outside of rehearsal to better research the conditions of their character.
Adams said that she did background research on aphasia for the part and even spoke with a specializing doctor in order to be better prepared for her character. In "A Lie of the Mind," Beth portrays one with aphasia quite well as she speaks in short, meaningful phrases that are produced with great effort.
"A.J. is amazing," Brock said. "Her character is so sad - She makes it completely believable."
Adams said aphasia is portrayed in Beth as a journey through her brain, and because she can't think of the right way to say things, they in turn come out more poetic and more powerful. "It's an emotional purge, a journey, a long, gut-wrenching play," Adams said.
Tashina Richardson, Austin senior, plays Jake's sister Sally, the voice of reason. Richardson said that "A Lie of the Mind" is about the disintegration of the American dream, how families are supposed to act, and the reality of that. "It shows that you will be happier if you pursue your own way," Richardson said.
Plano senior Marti Etheridge plays Beth's mother, Meg. She said she really enjoys Shepard and that he's definitely a long-winded poet. "He has a certain rhythm that allows complete growth in the play," Etheridge said. "It's not rushed."
Etheridge said that to prepare for this role she spent some time in nursing homes and with her aunt, to help her grasp the passive aggressive character she portrays. "Meg is the opposite of me, so it's nice to get to explore a completely different style," Etheridge says.
Alex Malone, Houston senior, plays Frankie, Jake's younger brother. He says that the play focuses on spousal abuse, a subject that is almost taboo, and that it is important to do theatre that opens up such issues.
"It's a very emotional, deep play that hits home in a lot of areas," Malone said.
The cast of "A Lie of the Mind" has spent the last six weeks preparing for the production, with four–hour rehearsals anywhere from five to six days a week. "I couldn't imagine doing anything else," Etheridge said. "The reward is worth it in the end."
Admission is $7.50 for students and senior citizens, and $10 for adults. Tickets are on sale now at the box office, located in the University Theatre Lobby, inside the RTVF Building, Monday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to each performance.
