The University of Lethbridge opens their season in University Theatre, Oct. 8 with Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Sam Shepard’s intense family drama “ A Lie of the Mind.”
“It’s about two families, one from California and the other from Montana, who come together through abuse that happens before the play starts. It takes place in the ’80s,” summarized director Doug MacArthur. The story surrounds the Jake, who abuses his wife Beth. It features a cast of students plus community members Gail Hanrahan, Jory Kohn and Eric Low plus local musicians Megan Brown and Corduroy Brown (James Swinney), performing on two sets — one in California and the other in Montana.
The play runs Oct. 8-12 in University Theatre.
“It’s a big piece. It’s a three act play. There‘s a lot to dig into in this play,” said MacArthur.
“It is a big play, but it is shared equally among all eight actors. There are no minor characters. And these are all wonderful actors who are exposed to this dialogue,” continued MacArthur, who was moved when he saw a production of Shepard’s “ Curse of the Starving Class,” back in 1988.
Shepard won a Pulitzer prize for his 1979 play “the Buried Child.”
“ He’s a Pulitzer Prize award winning playwright for a reason,” MacArthur continued, adding while it is a drama, there are lighter moments as well.
“There are a lot of genuinely funny moments,” he continued.
The play was inspired by Sam Shepard’s early life.
“ There are a lot of Montana references like abut hunting and living outside the mainstream,” MacArthur said.
“Shepard paints a beautiful picture of the landscape in his dialogue,” he continued.