The Blinn College Theatre Arts Program is unraveling a romantic comedy into an unsettling yet realistic nightmare to raise awareness of the dangers of dating violence.
Blinn will present Rebecca Gilman’s suspenseful drama “Boy Gets Girl” at 7:30pm on Feb. 16 through 18, and 2pm on Sunday, Feb. 19, in the Bryan Campus Student Center Room F-120. Performances are $5 for students and $10 for the general public. Seating is first-come, first-served. Tickets can be purchased at www.blinn.edu/vpa/bryan-schedule.html. For questions regarding ticket reservations, contact the Box Office at (979) 209-8100. Tickets also will be available at the door.
Audiences should note that the play contains adult themes and language.
A Texas Community College Speech and Theatre Association Play Festival entry, “Boy Gets Girl” is an unsettling chiller about a woman whose life of accomplishment is quickly destroyed by a disturbed admirer. The play is ultimately an exploration of men and women and how they interact.
“What is so intriguing about ‘Boy Gets Girl’ is the tension that all the characters are living in – not just in dating but also in gender and identity,” said Greg Wise, theatre director. “In today’s age, how we present ourselves is extraordinarily more vulnerable than we realize.”
Following the Friday evening performance, the audience is invited to stay for a brief “Friday Night Talkback” in which the director and actors return to the stage to discuss the production and answer questions from the audience. Representatives from the Sexual Assault Resource Center will be at each performance.
“We are very excited to partner with SARC for this particular show to help engage the community in some of the issues the play addresses,” Wise said.
“Boy Gets Girl” was chosen in line with the 2016-17 season’s theme showcasing notable female playwrights. Rebecca Gilman has received numerous accolades for her work, including the Harper Lee Award, Evening Standard Theatre Award, and Theatre Masters Visionary Award.
“If you look at the canon of writers out there, it is quite disproportionate,” Wise said. “We need to be more intentional with the voices we represent on stage. I am excited ‘Boy Gets Girl’ stays within our season’s goal of celebrating women’s voices in theater."
Blinn’s Theatre Arts Program hosts a variety of performances each year on its Bryan and Brenham campuses, and offers a quality educational foundation through study, application, and experience. The Theatre Arts Program is part of Blinn’s Division of Visual/Performing Arts & Kinesiology, which offers courses and hands-on learning opportunities in architecture, arts, communication studies, construction science, kinesiology, music, and theatre.
Registration for Blinn’s 8-week courses is available through March 8. For enrollment information and to learn about financial aid opportunities, visit: www.blinn.edu.
