The Daily Mining Gazette - Published: Thursday, March 29, 2007 Print Article | Close Window Tech presents ‘Equus’ CAPTION: Dan Schneider/Daily Mining Gazette Cast members Claudia Stadius, left, and Ralph Horvath, far right, comfort Dennis Kerwin during rehearsals for “Equus” at the McArdle Theater. Stadius and Horvath play the parents of Kerwin’s character, Alan Strang, who is psychologically tormented. By DAN SCHNEIDER, DMG Writer HOUGHTON — The play begins just after a young stable hand has blinded six horses with a metal spike. That alone should give audiences an idea of the challenging nature of “Equus,” the spring play presented by Michigan Tech University’s department of visual and performing arts. “It’s probably one of the most difficult challenges that I’ve had as a director and the most rewarding,” Director Debra Bruch said. “Equus” tells the story of psychiatrist Martin Dysart, played by Dennis Kerwin, as he digs into the mind of the stable hand, Alan Strang, to find the motivations behind his savage blinding of the horses. “I just wanted something extraordinary,” Bruch said. “My goal as a director is to offer the audience an experience in theater.” Bruch does not recommend the experience for audiences under the age of 18. “I think it would be something that this community would like to come to, but it is not for children,” she said. “Dark” is not the right word to describe the play, however. “I wouldn’t call it dark,” Thomas Tracey said. “It is intense, moreso than dark, I think, and very deep.” Tracey, a freshman computer science major at Tech, plays the role of Strang, a very complicated character. “He goes through a lot of emotions in the play from anger to guilt and frustration,” Tracey said. “He is very vulnerable throughout a lot of the play.” Kerwin’s Dysart, the psychiatrist charged with extracting and analyzing those emotions, is the play’s other lead, and another challenging role. Tracey said, in particular, the play asks questions about religion. “The idea of worship and kind of going against the social norm,” Tracey said. “Pretty much going against ... the normal take on religion.” Bruch said the play is about passion. “That’s it, passion,” she said. “As opposed to normalcy or the mundane — how we live our lives.” She said the play asks questions like “What is passion? Do we have passion in our lives of normalcy?” The play’s subject matter makes it an intense experience for audiences, Bruch said, “but more than that, it’s the interrelational weaving amidst character and theme and plot and motif and understanding.” In other words, it is a lot to think about. Presenting all of that with the requisite level of emotion has been Tracey’s challenge since rehearsals began Jan. 31. “It’s really intense being onstage for pretty much two and a half hours,” Tracey said. “Even in the rehearsals it was exhausting. Just being in character and having the intensity up the entire time.” Tracey acted during the latter half of his high school years, but this is the biggest role he has taken on. “It’s actually the first real lead I’ve ever gotten so that in itself was difficult,” he said. “And the role itself was difficult because he is such a versatile character.” Bruch said the cast responded well to the challenges “Equus” presented. “The cast turned out to be disciplined and a wonderful group of people to work with,” she said. She feels the audience will also respond well to the play. “Come and see it, it will blow your socks off, I think,” Bruch said. Six performances are scheduled in the McArdle Theater at Tech’s Walker Arts and Humanities Center. Showtimes are March 29 to 31 and April 5 to 7 at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available from the Rozsa Center box office at 487-3200. Dan Schneider can be reached at dschneider@mininggazette.com