UA Theatre and Dance will open its season with the world premiere of “Desert Oceans,” winner of the 2024 New Voices Theatre Festival, on Sept. 15 at Allen Bales Theatre.
“Desert Oceans” was inspired by playwright John Mabey’s upbringing in the Arizona desert through themes of grief, memory and belonging. The play is structured around a poem written by Mabey’s late sister.
“At its heart, this play is about finding hope in the midst of loss,” Mabey said. “The characters grapple with grief, love, and identity, but what I hope resonates most with audiences is that spark of hope even when closure feels impossible.”
Lucas Olive, a second-year MFA student portraying the character Jose, got to work with Mabey and the rest of the cast during a two week residency to help bring their story to life.
“It’s been very eye opening, just getting little nuggets of information about the characters,and how the characters relate to their personal history,” Olive said. “It’s a very personal play from John, so it’s been an honor to work with them and be able to put this up.”
The play is directed by second-year MFA student Tom Jones II, who has helped bring Mabey’s vision to life through “a collaborative and emotionally rich process.”
“The chemistry among the cast, the generosity of the department, and Tom’s vision as a director have been transformative,” Mabey said.
Though the play only has four cast members, Olive said the small cast helps build relationships and strengthen character development.
“Small cast shows are my favorite because you have to put so much trust into a couple of individuals,” Olive said. “You really get to dive deeper into the characters, and there’s a lot more meat for each of the roles.”
“Desert Oceans” will run Sept.15-20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 21 at 2 p.m at Allen Bales Theatre. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students. They can be purchased at the ticket office in Rowand-Johnson Hall or online.
“This is a play about human connection at its base,” Olive said. “It’s something everyone longs for — connecting with other people, so that is something to really look forward to.”
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