Emporia State Theatre Presents: reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute

Emporia State University Theatre presents
reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute

The second show of our season, Neil LaBute's reasons to be
pretty, is a love story about the impossibility of love that targets
America's obsession with physical beauty. LaBute introduces us
to Greg (Colter G. Lemmon, Sophomore, Crawford, NE) and Steph
(Veniese Razo, Freshman, Topeka), a flawed but likable twenty-
something couple. When Greg is asked to comment on Steph's
"looks," chaos ensues, throwing his tight-knit group of friends
into a whirlwind of emotion. When Greg's best friend Kent (Elliott
Brest, Junior, Tomganoxie), and Kent's wife Carly (Dallas Shafer,
Freshman, Emporia) enter the picture, the stakes heighten. As
Greg and Steph's relationship falls apart, their friends are put
smack in the middle of conflict. The play explores questions of
fidelity, power, and lust, but more importantly: What is beauty
worth?

A romantic and adult play, reasons to be pretty explores the
hopelessness of romance in the 21st century. It earned its
author and original cast numerous awards including a Tony
Award nomination for Best Play in 2008. A sequel to the play,
Reasons to Be Happy, enjoyed a celebrated off-Broadway run last
spring starring Jenna Fisher (The Office). Under the direction of
senior Mike Koetkemeyer (Salina), our winter production has
been entered as a participating entry into the Kennedy Center
American College Theatre Festival. This show highlights many of
our senior talents including Lexey Jost (Set Design, Hutchinson),
Jeannie Harper (Costume Design, Cherryvale), John Alfrey (Sound
Design,Topeka), and Samaria L.A. Fleig (Stage Manager, Norman,
OK). Faculty member, Nancy Pontius, will be incharge of lighting
design. reasons to be pretty will run Novemeber 19th -23rd at
7:30 p.m. and November 23rd & 24th at 2:00 p.m in the Ronald
Q. Frederickson Theatre.

For additional information: Jim Bartruff
Director of Theatre
620-341-5704
jbartruf@emporia.edu





----------------------------------------------------------
This message has been sent through KC Stage's Automated
Press Release System at http://www.kcstage.com/.

Any and all information listed in this e-mail is property
of the person sending this information and KC Stage
can not be held liable for the content.