Q&A with the Barnstormers producers

News-Letter: What's it like working in the new black box theater?

Dave Klein: It's definitely, definitely better than Arellano. It's a more sophisticated space.

ER: The best part about working in the new theater is working with the new technical director, Bill Roche

DK: Bill is the greatest.

N-L: How does this production differ from productions in the past?

DK: This is my first production gig, so Elise would be more qualified to answer this question.

ER: This is the largest acting challenge that we have ever faced.

N-L: Why is that?

ER: Beyond the sheer size of the roles, there are only four characters and they're on stage for three hours. The play has such an incredible amount of emotional depth to it and it's depth that's supposed to come from maturity. It's a real challenge for college students to perform and we took that knowledge into consideration when we hired our director.

N-L: For those who may not know the play, give me a brief outline of it.

ER: The play is set in the home of a college history professor and his wife, who is the daughter of the president of the college. They are a middle-aged couple and they're entertaining a new professor and his wife after a faculty soiree held at the president's house.

DK: That's where it gets complicated.

ER: There is drinking and there is yelling.

DK: And secrets are put out into the open and character flaws are laid bare.

ER: Our director likes to say that this show is a criticism of American society and our value system. Essentially, it comes down to confronting reality and how frightening an experience it can be.

N-L: Why did you choose to produce Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

ER: We were selecting this play coming off of the success that we had with Tommy. We really felt that Tommy had set a standard for us in terms of the technical challenges inherent to the show and the sheer size of the production .and wanted to tackle a show that would take our acting to the next level.

The show will be held in the Swirnow Theater, located in the Mattin Center, at 8 p.m. on the following nights:

Friday - Sunday, Nov. 9 - 11

Friday - Sunday, Nov. 16 - 18