The Department of Theatre\u2019s winter play, Tom Griffin\u2019s \u201cThe Boys Next Door,\u201d will be performed Dec. 7-9 at 7 p.m.\u00a0 in the Ulrey Performing Arts Center.\u00a0 It is a 1980\u2019s New England based play that previews four men in a group home with developmental disabilities.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
The play was written to introduce people to those who have disabilities and illnesses. The cast wants to challenge the community and show people what life is like living with a disability.<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cThe play is funny, it\u2019s poignant, it will make you laugh and it will make you cry,\u201d director Dottie Frye said. \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Frye said when prepping for the play, she and the cast pledged to make the production as realistic as possible. She believes the best way to put on this play is through respect and authenticity.<\/b><\/p>\n
The cast decided to learn more about the characters by observing and working with the children at Searcy\u2019s Sunshine School, a school in Searcy which serves students with developmental disabilities.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cThe directors and teachers of the Sunshine School have welcomed us into the classrooms so we could observe and question how to properly represent our characters,\u201d Frye said. \u201cThe Sunshine School wanted us to show a realistic view of people who have developmental disabilities. The school has been very supportive.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n
Senior Jonah Turner plays a character living with schizophrenia named Barry Klemper who has lived in group homes throughout his life. Turner said the role has helped him understand disabilities better and hopes the viewers can as well.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
\u201cI have really loved the material and loved the idea of doing something challenging within our Harding community, challenging in either way of it making you think differently or giving you a new perspective,\u201d Turner said. \u201cWe have really invested into our characters to pull it off correctly.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n
Junior Jacob McAlister,said the play shows innocence, joy and the characters\u2019 purity of heart.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cA lot of people think there is a stereotype with people who have disabilities,\u201d McAlister said. \u201cGoing to the Sunshine School has helped us to realize we actually have a lot more similarities than differences.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n
Sophomore Cordell Hutcheson and senior Duncan Michael also star in the play as two of the boys. Senior Grant Malone plays a caring social worker named Jack who looks after the boys.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
Tickets for \u201cThe Boys Next Door\u201d can be purchased for $10 at www.hardingtickets.com or at the door.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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