From TBD
TBD, a new theatre company, will be offering the play The Guys by Anne Nelson Sept.9, 10, and 11 at 7:30 p.m.; and, Sept. 12 at 2:30 p.m. The venue is The Simpson Building, 1291 Conneaut, in Bowling Green, Ohio. The venue is provided by a support grant from the City of Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department.
The Guys is a timeless drama about the surprising truths people can discover in ordinary lives, and the connections we make with others and ourselves in times of tragedy. Paralyzed by grief and unable to put his thoughts into words, Nick, a fire captain, seeks out the help of a writer to compose eulogies for the colleagues and friends he lost in the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001. As Joan, an editor by trade, draws Nick out about “the guys,” powerful profiles emerge, revealing vivid personalities and the substance and meaning that lie beneath the surface of seemingly unremarkable people. As the individual talents and enthusiasms of the people within the small firehouse community are realized, we come to understand the uniqueness and value of what each person has to contribute.
The Guy’s is performed by two veteran actors who are well-known in local community theatre, Lane Hakel and Monica Hiris both of Bowling Green. On stage, as Nick and Joan, Lane and Monica portray two people who under normal circumstances never would have met, jump the well-defined tracks of their own lives, and so learn about themselves, about life, and about the healing power of human connection, through talking about “the guys.” The play is directed by Dr. Heath Diehl, a professor at Bowling Green State University and President of the Board for The Black Swamp Players (BSP). Dr. Diehl’s previous director roles include Gidion’s Knot for TBD, as well as Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple, Talking With, and The Drowsy Chaperone, all for BSP.
When the play is over, a conversation begins. After each performance TBD will offer a “talkback,” an opportunity for the actors and a moderator to engage with the audience. One purpose of this conversation is educational, to help audience members think about the themes in the play and to wrestle with the question of how we might come together as a community, without being prompted by a catastrophe. Also, the cast gets to find out directly what the audience thought of the show, what material resonated. But more importantly, TBD hopes the talkbacks will give audience members an opportunity to consider the context of what they have just seen on stage. A talkback is also an opportunity where people can hear someone else and maybe say, “That person had an experience that resonates with me, so maybe I can have a conversation with them.” In this way, the play is not just a cultural event, but also a community-building opportunity.
The Guys is produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.
For tickets: https://our.show/tbd-productions/theguys
