How much would you change yourself for a budding, new relationship? The main character in Lone Star College-Montgomery Drama Department’s production of “The Shape of Things” goes to shocking lengths. Watch the doomed romance unfold Oct. 5-7 at 7 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in Building D room 204. There will also be a special matinee Oct. 7 at 3 p.m.
The ‘Pygmalion’-esque play tells the story of an intensifying relationship between Adam and Evelyn. She is the ‘puppet master’ orchestrating for Adam to lose weight, ditch his glasses, change his clothes, and have a nose job, but the transformation does not end with a happily ever after.
“The show is about how manipulative humans can be and how people try to put up fronts to impress people,” said Madison Mapes who plays Jenny.
“It is a fictional show with a fictional premise, but the people involved are very real,” said Shane Reynolds who plays Adam. “We are hoping the audience walks out and thinks about how these characters apply in their social circles.”
All the actors agree the ending is very powerful.
“When I first read it, I got physically sick to my stomach,” said Mapes.
“The ending makes the whole thing,” said Reynolds. “If you get up and you walk out halfway through you did not get the point.”
“The ending ties the whole thing together,” said Madelyn Lantrip who plays Evelyn. “I read it and then I just sat there for a second. I hope it makes people think about their own relationships with other people. I hope they read into behavior a lot more and when they do something, they are doing it because they want to do it, not necessarily because someone else thinks they should. I really hope people take away that they have to be intentional with their relationships with other people.”
The production has a very minimalistic set and the actors play to the audience who is sitting on three sides.
"My history with this show goes back to when I was 17 years old,” said LSC-Montgomery professor and show director Emmy Frank. “I saw “The Shape of Things” produced by a student-directed college company when I was doing visits with my mom. I did not have any background on the show and my mind was completely blown to the point where it has stuck with me pretty intensely. I have always wanted to direct it ever since I first saw it.”
“The Shape of Things” contains profanity and adult subject matter. Tickets can be purchased online at lonestar.edu/theatre-montgomery or at the box office on the day of the performance. Tickets are $5 general admission. Expected running time is 90 minutes with no intermission.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 95,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.