STAGE KISS Comes to the Hershey Area Playhouse in February

The Hershey Area Playhouse is bringing some love to the stage with Stage Kiss, by celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl. The show will run February 10, 11, 12 at 7 pm; February 13 at 2 pm; February 17, 18, and 19 at 7 pm, and February 20 at 2 pm.

"This show discusses how blurry and fragile the line between an actor and their character is. Sarah Ruhl does a phenomenal job showing the audience how easily that line can be crossed," says Director Madison Lenhart. "Our friendly cast of seven has created a wonderfully playful bond that shines both on and off stage! They all demonstrate the ability to be flexible and trusting as actors, letting all of us come together to create a unique and powerful performance."

When two actors with a passionate history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. Both a comedy and a love story, Stage Kiss is a play within a play, with engaging dialogue and lots of laughs. This farce comedy shows the best and worst situations in both theater and relationships.

Under the direction of Lenhart, the Playhouse takes a new approach to character, They. Traditionally performed as He, we were granted permission to change the identity to They, a non-binary person. Using They/Them pronouns, Lenhart and her cast were able to shape and expand the layers of this play to new, inclusive dimensions.

"Initially, I did not plan to change He's gender identity, but based on our auditions, I did not want to miss out on the opportunity to open the role past its traditional binary casting. Nikita Rain (They) had exactly what I was looking for in this role. At this point, I knew that keeping the role as He was no longer an option for this production. By not changing He's gender identity, the Hershey community and those surrounding it would not have the pleasure of watching Rain's stunning performance...I wanted to make my cast and those that come see the show feel heard, safe and represented," says Lenhart.

The show will take place in person on the Playhouse stage, and current CDC and local guidelines will be followed by all visitors. Performers will not be masked for the performance. Tickets are $23, and can be purchased at hersheyareaplayhouse.com. Student tickets are available for purchase the day of performance for $10 with student ID, subject to availability; this offer is only available at the Hershey Area Playhouse Box Office.

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