Vincennes University Performing Arts is presenting a winter production featuring two original one-act plays written by program alumni and performed by a cast that includes students and community members.
The double feature’s opening night was Thursday. It pairs The Parable of the Laborer by Peter Hesselgrave with Secrets of the Chief by Liz Ruppel. Theatre Program Director Kendra Clauser said the works were created independently but were selected to be performed together.
“Well, for our winter show, we have a really exciting opportunity. We’ve invited two playwrights, who are alumni of Vincennes University, to write original one-acts,” Clauser said. “And the first one is one that Peter Hesselgrave wrote, called The Parable of the Laborer. And the second one is by Liz Ruppel, who is also our stage manager and has been for several years, and it is Secrets of the Chief.”
Hesselgrave, a current VU student who has completed multiple degree programs and is continuing his studies in theatre and education, said his play follows a character trying to break out of a daily routine.
“Yes, so I wrote The Parable of the Laborer, which will be the second half of the double feature. It’s a story of an intern working in an office space, and we watch his kind of like how his morning starts and how he is basically doing the same thing every day, and we see as he starts trying to find ways to change his day and seeing kind of how the world around him changes as he makes changes himself,” Hesselgrave said.
He said the script grew out of an earlier version written for a playwriting class and was expanded for a larger cast for this production.
“Definitely a little nervous, but honestly everyone’s doing an amazing job. It’s been amazing watching it come together and I really believe that they’re going to do an amazing job putting it on,” he said.
Student actor Enias Wilson appears in both plays and takes on two very different roles.
“So, I’m going to start off with Gustavo. So, Gustavo is one of the spies who has to retell the story for the chief and he’s clearly the brains of the operation,” Wilson said. “And then going over to Andy, Andy is the office worker who doesn’t really speak or anything, he just moves and can only tell based off his gestures.”
Clauser said the production brings together a mix of performers and original material from within the VU theatre community.
“Please, I encourage everyone to come see, not only to support the students—we both have students and community members in the show—but also to support these great original works,” she said.
Performances are scheduled for Feb. 19 through Feb. 22 at the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center. Evening shows on Feb. 19, 20 and 21 begin at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Feb. 22.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for senior citizens and $5 for non-VU students with a student ID. Admission is free for VU students, faculty and staff.
