The juxtaposition of dreams and reality takes center stage in the next Actors Studio Series show at the Edward S. Strother Theatre.

"Disappeared" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27-29 and Nov. 2-5 with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 30.

Under the direction of student Letitia Guillaud, "Disappeared" follows the disappearance of Sarah Casey (Katie Nathan), a travel agent who's never been anywhere. She meets Elston Rupp (Mike Brouwer), an odd little man with some interesting habits, in a bar and decides to leave with him, never to be seen again. The rest of the show revolves around the repercussions Sarah's disappearance has on the lives of those around her.

"This is a fairly realistic show that illustrates the delicate balance between our dreams and reality," says Guillaud, a senior theater acting major. "Almost everyone in the show has some place they would rather be or something they would rather be doing — they have dreams but are 'stuck' someplace completely different."

The show will be performed in the round, with the audience surrounding the stage. Guillaud hopes that this staging in conjunction with the intimate feel of Strother will give the audience a sense of being "stuck" together in much the same way as the characters in the play.  

"The play shows how a single event can affect people who, until that moment, were unaware of each other," Guillaud added. "They cannot get away from each other until they solve the mystery, and their environment almost seems to control their lives and identities — their clothing, social status, job and power level all play into how they relate to one another."

"Disappeared," written by Phyllis Nagy, walks a fine line between pain and humor in the midst of a lot of suspense. It manages to raise questions about morality and the roles of fate and choice — how much of our lives is beyond our control and how much is determined by the choices we make — while being so strikingly honest that it becomes humorous. 

"It is great that this show can ask these kinds of questions with humor," says Guillaud. "It may take a little longer to dissect, but ultimately I think the humor helps us to absorb the underlying message of the play."

A raw and realistic story, this play shows how people of many different classes behave when forced to interact with one another. The audience should be aware that the show contains strong language, a modest amount of smoking, and will use a fog machine for special effects.

Guillaud emphasizes that the very talented cast and production crew are comprised entirely of students and notes that it is incredibly fulfilling to work with so many people who want to become successful in the theatrical world.

Upcoming productions this semester include:

• "Caucasian Chalk Circle" – 7:30 p.m., Nov. 10-12, 16-19; 2:30 p.m., Nov. 13; University Theatre. Directed by Jennifer Blackmer with original music by Jody Nagel and multimedia design by guest artist Tony Brown.

• "Coppelia," – 7:30 p.m., Dec. 8-10; 2:30 p.m., Dec. 10-11; 10 a.m., Dec. 9; University Theatre.   Ball State's first full-length ballet in 20 years will be performed under the artistic direction of Lou Ann Young.

(Note to editors: For more information, contact Guillaud at ltguillaud@bsu.edu. To download a print-quality photo, go to www.bsu.edu/photoservices and select "Upcoming Events.")

Kari Jones