BWW Interviews: Shots in the Dark Brings Romantic 'Dramedy' REASONS TO BE PRETTY to Short North

In its production of Neil LaBute's "Reasons To Be Pretty," Columbus' Shots in the Dark Independent Theatre Company is set to delve into the aspects of close relationships that are often less than beautiful.

Set to be performed throughout the weekend of July 10 at the Short North Stage's Green Room venue, "Reasons To Be Pretty" is an intimate exploration of love, life and the obsession with physical beauty.

The play follows a group of characters whose quirks and flaws mirror those of our friends, family members and, at times, ourselves. Through honest dialogue and storytelling, the evolving states of relationships within a tight-knit social circle are played out on stage.

"These four characters all relate to each other differently but there is some sort of love between all of them," Patrick McGregor II, Shots in the Dark artistic director and the director of "Reasons To Be Pretty," said in an email. "The brilliance of the play comes from the fact it examines very specific types of relationships and the good and the bad of each."

In "Reasons To Be Pretty," audience members are observers witnessing the deterioration of a young couple's marriage. As external circumstances begin to impact internal dialectics within relationships, the result is a "hyper-realistic" play that speaks to the audience on a personal level, McGregor said.

"I think this play's uniqueness comes from Neil LaBute's writing. It is eerily real. I've had these conversations. I've had these fights...almost verbatim. I've witnessed these situations," he said. "Every character has relatable qualities for an audience."

The characters are brought to life by the play's four actors, Chris Ceradsky (Greg), Kristen Basore (Steph), Caroline Thoma (Carly) and Jake Sabinsky (Kent), whose closeness as a cast enhances the believability of their characters' on-stage relationships, McGregor said.

"We have four fantastic young performers. They're all in their twenties and either are or will soon be facing these issues themselves," he said. "They also have really great relationships with each other. This has helped them craft four really strong, honest performances."

From the situations into which the characters are thrust to their emotionally-charged reactions, "Reasons To Be Pretty" does not hold back from spotlighting the intricate and often fragile nature of relationships, a theme that has been apparent in several plays presented by Shots in the Dark during its summer season, McGregor said.

"All of the shows Shots in the Dark is presenting this summer are about relationships. 'Beautiful Cul de Sac' presented a parodied version of suburban relationships. 'Big Fish' presents true love in a fantastic manner full of spectacle and magic," he said. "'Reasons To Be Pretty' presents an honest, realistic depiction of relationships."

Although the themes woven into "Reasons To Be Pretty" are traditionally heavier topics to bring to the stage, McGregor said he is looking forward to the lighthearted aspects of the production and is interested to see how the audience will react to LaBute's "intelligent humor."

"('Reasons To Be Pretty') is the true definition of a dramedy," he said. "I think it is really hard to call this a drama but it certainly deals with very serious situations. At the same time...it is hilarious."

McGregor said he hopes that audience members come away from "Reasons To Be Pretty" having seen a little bit of themselves in the characters. From this connection, he added, he envisions viewers being able to learn more about their relationships and inner qualities.

"We have made a lot of discoveries that have allowed us to play a lot of the action right in the audience's faces. This makes the situations and honesty resonate even more because audience members are close enough to not only imagine themselves being these characters but to actually be these characters onstage," he said. "I hope people learn something during this play. I hope they walk away from this play with a better understanding of people, especially those they value most...and most especially themselves."

"Reasons To Be Pretty" is set to be performed in the Short North Stage's Green Room on July 10 and 11 at 9 p.m. and July 11 and 12 at 2 p.m. An after-show discussion with the cast and director is scheduled immediately following the 2 p.m. matinee.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students. Audience members who attended Shots in the Dark's production of "Beautiful Cul de Sac" can purchase tickets to "Reasons To Be Pretty" at a discounted rate. Additionally, audience members who attend "Reasons To Be Pretty" will be able to purchase tickets to "Big Fish" at a discounted rate.

Tickets may be purchased on the Shots in the Dark Independent Theatre Company website or by calling (614) 682-9079.

The Short North Stage's Green Room is located in the Garden Theater, 1187 N. High St.

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