Next week a play that's been in the works for as long as half the average college student's life will hit the stage at Lyceum Theatre.
"On Display," a student-written play about the trials a young artist must face as he ascends to fame, was written by third-year fine arts graduate student John Perovich. This is the sixth full-length play that Perovich has written during his time at ASU. The show's first night is on Friday, April 15 and will run until April 24.
"On Display" focuses on a shut-in artist named Jack whose artistic genius is revealed to the two other characters in the show.
"He's left to sort of figure out his life and fend for himself as a shut-in who doesn't go out into the world," Perovich said. "You also get to see some characters that involve themselves in Jack's life."
The composition has been a long time coming, as Perovich said he first had the idea for the play in 2004 in his first playwriting class.
"It's taken me over ten years to write it," Perovich said. "I can't say that I was committed to it during the 10 years. I really just had the idea. I attempted to write it a few times, and I gave up on it and moved on to other things."
Perovich said his move to ASU is what gave him the chance to write the play.
"I came here to ASU and I was like, 'Here's my opportunity to really be able to focus on this play,'" Perovich said. "I have the support here. I'm a better playwright because I'm older. I have learned more, and I have great faculty here to support me and guide me."
Perovich said he is excited to see the visual art aspect of the play translated to the stage.
"This play isn't necessarily about dialogue," he said. "I think all plays are about language to some extent, but this is really about visual art. We're going to see visual art during the play."
Even though the play relies so heavily on its visuals, Perovich said he is not nervous at all, as he trusts the play designers completely.
"I think ASU has some of the best designers," he said. "It's had some of the best designs that I've seen from any university or some theater companies."
The play's director Phil Weaver-Stoesz, a second-year fine arts graduate student, is someone who Perovich said he trusts completely.
"He's very easygoing, and he's a great collaborator," Perovich said. "In many ways he embodies the sort of characteristics and the curiosity of the play itself. That was just a happy accident."
Weaver-Stoesz said curiosity is one of his favorite parts of directing.
"I love directing because it lets me be curious about things I don't know about," Weaver-Stoesz said.
He also said "On Display" is a play that considers the pros and cons of selling out as an artist.
"The play wrestles with this question of 'As artists, do we stay true to our own style, or do we change what we do to make it more valuable to the public?'" Weaver-Stoesz said.
He said he is working with a cast of three on the play, and believes they are the best people for the job.
"They're excellent about showing the complex human story that the show asks for," Weaver-Stoesz said.
One of those cast members is Elisa Gonzales, a second-year master of fine arts student. She, like Perovich and Weaver-Stoesz, has been involved with the play for a long time.
"I was in the original cast that workshopped the play," Gonzales said.
She said she thinks the audience of the play will see something that even experienced play-goers are unprepared for.
"It's not a typical theater experience," Gonzales said. "From the minute they walk through the theater they are going to realize that they will see something out of the ordinary."
Related links:
Gammage packs 2016-17 theater season with hits: 'Cabaret,' 'An American in Paris' and more
'42nd Street' national tour dazzles at Gammage
Reach the reporter at jdarge@asu.edu or follow @jeffdarge on Twitter.
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