Ashley Rhodes (L) and Keone Paknis (R) in an early rehearsal for The Book Club Play.
Rasheena Carson (L) and Luke Keebler (R) perform in The Book Club Play.
Theater-by-the-Grove, the performance ensemble of Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s theatre program, is delighted to announce the opening of Karen Zacarias’ new comedy, The Book Club Play, in November. The performances will also feature numerous literary organizations and events from local libraries and other departments.
“The Book Club Play is a deceptively smart comedy,” said director Joshua Kelly, who pitched the show during deliberations for IUP Theatre’s interdisciplinary season. “Not only is it hysterical and fast-paced, but it questions the purpose of the book in young American life, and how we might be missing the true joys of literature while using ‘the book’ for our own purposes.”
The Book Club Play follows the story of a group of friends—professional young adults—who have been attending their own private book club for years, each with different unspoken reasons and all of whom have embattled relationships with the material. But the harmony of the book club is thrown into chaos when it is announced that Lars Knudsen, a world-renowned documentarian, is filming their club as part of his exposé on books in American society. With their thoughts, attitudes, and relationships now being broadcast to a worldwide audience, the members of the book club now must come to terms with their own motivations for being there, the secrets they hide from one another, and the riotous consequences of their own narratives.
As part of the interdisciplinary mission of their season, IUP Theatre has reached out to numerous literary organizations and individuals to use The Book Club Play not only as a theatrical event, but as a way to provide public engagement and conversation about literature in Indiana.
“One of the first ideas we had was to turn the theatre lobby into a book exchange for audiences, and with a generous donation from the Indiana Free Library, we are able to do just that,” said Kelly. Audiences are encouraged to bring unwanted books to performances and leave them on the exchange table, browse the books donated by others, take books home that appeal to them, and use the space before curtain, during intermission, and after the performance to have conversations with other audience members about what they’re reading.
Kelly Heider, associate vice provost for Libraries and Research Support Services, saw the show as an opportunity to raise awareness of IUP Libraries’ partnership with the Angels’ Wings Program, sponsored by Diamond Drugs, Inc. and The Indiana Gazette in cooperation with the Indiana County Community Action Program (ICCAP). IUP Libraries supports Angels’ Wings by collecting new children’s books for families in need during the holiday season.
“Books open doors to imagination, discovery, and lifelong learning. Through our partnership with Angels’ Wings, IUP Libraries is proud to help put books into the hands of children who might otherwise have limited access to them. We welcome opportunities to connect our university and local communities through literacy, learning, and service,” Heider said. During the performances, Heider will host a table in the Waller Hall lobby where audience members can learn about Angels’ Wings, donate new children’s books, and explore the resources and services IUP Libraries provides to students, faculty, and the broader community.
Play director Kelly also started teamwork with Indiana Free Library, eager to combine the play’s social commentary on books with the IFL’s continuous mission of proliferating literacy as a way of life. Apart from donating many books for the book exchange, IFL Development Manager Lacey Fetcko determined The Book Club Play was an excellent opportunity to continue this mission. Fetcko will also set up a table in the lobby during performances to chat with visitors about the resources available to the public at IFL and the many events they do in support of the community.
Finally, IUP's theatre program has intended for each production this season to directly integrate the talents, scholarship, and interests of other departments on campus in the creation of theatrical art. To coordinate the pre-filmed documentary elements of the production, Kelly opened conversations with IUP’s Office of Marketing and Communications, whose director of Video Services, Bill Hamilton, eagerly jumped on board. “It is such a great chance to see our film media students work with other artists and display their talents in a new space for a different audience,” Hamilton said. “We want students working in MarCom to have every opportunity to demonstrate and practice their skills.”
Professor of English Ken Sherwood—whose work in new and ever-evolving combinations of literacy and technology speaks directly to the play’s conflict—is serving as the production’s interdisciplinary advisor and will participate in a Q&A discussion with the audience following one of the performances.
The Book Club Play will perform in Waller Hall Theatre on the IUP campus on November 12, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and November 15 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available online, with remaining tickets sold at the door: General Admission, $15; 60+/military, $12; and IUP students/under 18, $10.
Due to adult language and suggestive humor, the play is recommended for mature audiences. The production’s cast includes Keone Paknis as Rob, Ashley Rhodes as Anna, Sam Nagar as Will, Rasheena Carson as Lily, Carlie Evock as Jen, and Luke Keebler as Alex, with the Pundits played by Christopher Kusk, Sam Bonenberger, Cora Dunsmore, Mint Both, and Marcus Spurgeon. It is directed by Joshua Kelly, with scenic design by Marty Savolskis, lighting design by Luke Mock, and costume design by Mint Both.