Western theatre presents "Free Will and Wanton Lust"
Arts and Culture | The five-member cast of "Free Will and Wanton Lust" take audience members outside of their comfort zone and inside the inner workings of a dysfunctional family.
Megan Cullerton
Issue date: 11/1/06 Section: Culture
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Late nights, costume changes, lights and make-up all seemed to be aspects of Halloween for most people this week. For some it is, but for the 11 Western Oregon students working on "Free Will and Wanton Lust," it's just another day at play practice.
For the past four weeks, the five-person cast has been rehearsing their play, and this week, their show will open at Rice Auditorium. "Free Will and Wanton Lust" is directed by Western senior Tom Cavanaugh, a theatre major. He is one of those rare and lucky students who get the opportunity to direct a play on campus.
"Free Will and Wanton Lust" is a 1991 play by American playwright Nicky Silver. The play is a fast-paced dark comedy which explores love, lust, and family.
"The show is comedy about family with a punch," Tom told us. The play's central characters play family members who are living together under the same room for the first time in several years. Once they are all together "All the skeletons start popping up one by one," adds Cavanaugh.
While the show's family has links in reality, everything is a bit exaggerated. "It's like looking at a family through a kaleidoscope," says cast member Josiah Bania. "It's all families magnified to 100."
The show officially opens Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Rice Auditorium, where tickets are on sale now for $10 general admission and $6 for students. The cast and crew are inviting the deaf community of Western Oregon to enjoy their interpreted show on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., for free.
The show should be enjoyed by all students, "It's easy to laugh at these peoples' problems as a family," said cast member Rani Lightle. The show will also run Friday, Nov. 3,, at 7:30 p.m.-with an additional special showing at midnight-and on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Allow "Free Will and Wanton Lust" to take you inside the workings of a dysfunctional family and support those on campus who call costumes, make-up and very, very late nights just another day at the office. Are they dysfunctional? We don't think so!