Tickets are on sale now for Governors State University (GSU) Theatre and Performance Studies (TAPS) fall 2021 production “A Delightful Quarantine” by Mark Dunn which runs Nov. 4 to 6 on the Center for Performing Arts (CPA) stage.
Visiting director Anthony Sims describes the play as “an honest reflection upon the current times we live in.”
Though the play doesn’t speak directly to COVID, themes will resonate with the audience. “We, as a society, are on the go. … What the quarantine taught us all is how to slow down and sit within ourselves. This is what the characters are going through in the play,’’ Sims said.
Framed as a 1980s sitcom, “Quarantine” features seven households, each having its own unique story and with the characters in each house striving for personal and collective healing. Sims said the play teaches resiliency—one of the reasons they were drawn to direct the show.
“It appears we are in a constant uphill battle every day for stability due to this pandemic and other societal issues. If we can be resilient, perhaps we can find collective dignity. Public theatre is accessible again, but with complications. Everyone is required to wear a mask on stage, and I started to see work where directors and actors pretended to ignore the cloth or medical cover over the lower half of their faces. It frustrates me. There is an urgency to get back to “normalcy” when there never was a normal. It made me think of “A Delightful Quarantine,” and I knew this work could be an honest reflection upon the current times we live in.”
Sims said it’s good to be together again and is proud that their cast of 16 features ten GSU students and alumni.
“Everyone is having a fun time, as it is essential to collectively imagine instead of simply fitting into the mold of just one idea or source. You can expect to see familiar and new faces on the GSU stage. Everyone adds a unique element to our overall production.”
Audience members will be seated on stage with the performers and will serve as the studio audience.
“A Delightful Quarantine” will have 7:30 p.m. performances Thursday, Nov. 4, through Saturday, Nov. 6. Seating is limited.
Tickets are $15 ($10 for students) and can be purchased at CenterTickets.net, at the Box Office or by phone at 708-235-2222.
The box office is located at 1 University Parkway, University Park, and is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday–Friday, open until 6 p.m. on Thursdays and two hours prior to all performances.
