Photos: Inside Look at Open Book Theatre Company's LIFESPAN OF A FACT
The show runs now through April 16th.
By: Marissa Tomeo Mar. 19, 2022
After 18 months, Open Book Theatre is excited to open its doors to audiences once again. "We kept producing theatre in other ways, but there's nothing like the energy of being in the room where it happens," said Artistic Director Krista Schafer Ewbank. "The lights, the sound, the set....it all creates an experience that can't be beat. Studies show that audience's heartbeats sync during a live performance. You can get that from streaming Netflix."
The theatre has planned a five show season of contemporary plays that will resonate with audiences, particularly after the events of the last two year. "I tend to be drawn to plays about what makes us human," Schafer Ewbank explained. "Our need for personal connection has never felt more pressing than after our collective trauma of this past season."
The debate over truth and facts provides no easy answers in The Lifespan of a Fact (March 18 - April 16, 2022). Jim Fingal is a fresh-out-of-Harvard fact checker for a prominent but sinking New York magazine. John D'Agata is a talented writer with a transcendent essay about the suicide of a teenage boy-an essay that could save the magazine from collapse.
When Jim is assigned to fact check D'Agata's essay, the two come head to head in a comedic yet gripping battle. "What I like about this play is that it takes a real set of circumstances and tells the story with humor and makes it relatable," says director Kez Settle. "Can we bend the truth to serve art? When is it not okay? Humans bend the truth all the time, but this play raises the question on where one draws the line; when does this compromise your integrity or the integrity of the story and who is hurt by it. There are victims to the liberties taken, and this play helps shed light on this fact as well."
Open Book theatre was named Trenton Business of the Year for 2019, has won several Michigan theatre awards, and is quickly becoming a key player in the cultural scene Downriver. The theatre hires professional actors, directors, and designers from the Metro Detroit area. With so many wonderful, local eateries nearby many patrons go out for dinner or drinks before or after the show, making it a full night out with friends or a wonderful date.
Individual tickets are only $25 for general admission, $20 for seniors, and $15 for students, with all tickets for each opening night gala at $30 each. Season tickets for all 5 shows offer up to a 25% discount: $100 for general admission, $80 for seniors, $65 for students, and $125 for opening nights. Tickets can be purchased online at openbooktc.com or through the box office. More information can be found online or by calling 734 288-7753. Many of the shows feature adult language, contact the theatre for more information.
Check out the photos from the production below!
As the deadline looms closer, the fact checker (David Liskow) and writer (Phil Hughes) argue about the accuracy of a point in the essay as the editor (Krista Schafer Ewbank) regroups in the background. Photo by Jan Cartwright
Editor Emily (Krista Schafer Ewbank) lands a point against the fact checker (David Liskow). Photo by Jan Cartwright
The design elements immerse the characters and the audience in the world of the essay, with scenic elements incorporating the words by Alexander Trice; black, white, and red clothing by Cheryl Zemke; and lights that reveal key moments by Harley Miah. Pictured: David Liskow as the fact checker, Krista Schafer Ewbank as the editor, and Phil Hughes as the writer. Photo by Jan Cartwright
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