A critically-acclaimed, Tony Award winning play will be presented October 10-13 in Concordia University Ann Arbor's Black Box Theater, 4090 Geddes Road.
“The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time,” directed by first year director of theater Amanda Williams-Contreras, will be staged in the Kreft Center at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, along with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Based on a novel of the same name by Mark Haddon, the 2015 Tony Award winner for Best Play takes place in England in 1998 and is narrated by Christopher Boone, a tenacious and intelligent 15-year-old teenager with autism.
“I first heard about this play from a fellow director,” said Williams-Contreras. “She raved about the story and the plot line, so I dove into the story and fell in love with it,” she added.
One evening just past midnight, Boone is wrongly accused of murdering his neighbor’s dog Wellington with a garden fork. After mistakenly striking a police officer at the crime scene, he’s taken into custody only to be released with a stern warning not to attempt and solve the murder. Resolving to locate the real culprit, Boone’s investigation uncovers painful truths about his family so he strikes out on his own in a thrilling adventure that turns his whole world upside down.
“In every essence this play captures what theater should be,” noted Williams-Contreras, “sharing the experiences of others and the difference and sameness of us all. The show opens our eyes into a world we may not have known or understood.” She admits the cast has been having a lot of fun playing inanimate characters such as refrigerators, ATM machines and doors. “They’ve taken up the challenge of these complex characters with grace, authenticity and empathy.”
During a recent rehearsal, volunteers came to campus to share stories with the actors about how they relate to Christopher.
Cast in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” are: Christopher – Logan Davis; Siobhan – Bonnie Ford; Ed – Blake Dean; Judy – Paige Rebber; and Jordan Smith, Zane Simon, Abby Haggard, Daniel Selby, Marykay Tolliver and Abigail Penhallegon, as Voices One-Six.
Crew members are: Sierra Detwiler, Stage Manager/Assistant Director; McKinley Schmitz, Assistant Stage Manager; Jordan Kempf, Social Media; Blake Dean and Sean Sheppard, Scene Shop; Micah Biermann, Sound Board Operator; Sean Sheppard, Light Board Operator; Samantha Peifer and Bonnie Ford, Costuming; and Samantha Peifer, Properties.
Tickets cost $12 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. They can be ordered by phone during regular box office hours of 2-4 p.m. Monday-Friday at 734-995-7537, or online at cuaa.edu/kreftarts-tickets.
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