Brelby Serves Up Real Magic in THE PLEDGE

Magic comes in many forms. Some say it's the kind of illusion we see on stages where rabbits are pulled out of hats and people and things disappear in puffs of smoke. Some say it's what happens when stars line up and people are brought together to form lasting bonds. At Brelby Theatre Company, it's both. And more.

Tim McCandless is lighting and sound designer for The Pledge. A Brelby company member who has been doing theatre all his life, it just so happens that Tim met and fell in love with his girlfriend, Megan, last season at Brelby.

Megan O'Connor is a Brelby company member with loads of credits in all aspects of theatre. Her first full-length play, The Pledge, opens at Brelby on the 16th of June.

"Megan and Tim actually met during last season's production of The Oz Chronicles," said Brelby Artistic Director, Shelby Maticic. "They hit it off during the rehearsal process, and it was a lot of fun to watch the pieces fall into place for the two of them to date. We put a lot of time and effort into making our theatre a safe space for artists to grow and experiment, which often leads to incredible friendships taking root. Once in a while we get the chance to witness a strong relationship come out of a show, and it can be so heartwarming to see. Megan and Tim are two incredibly different personalities, but they share a strong work ethic, healthy sense of humor, and deep respect for one another that has been amazing to see thrive in an artistic setting. I feel lucky to have been even a small piece of their story," she said.

"From the beginning," O'Connor said, "we were aware of being professional while in rehearsals and during shows. Tim asked me out (I made him) after opening night but we had to wait until Ozhad closed to actually go on our first date because I was in rehearsal for another show during the week. I felt bad we had to wait so long because of my schedule but he said "I get it. You're a theatre girl, I'm a theatre guy. We'll make it work." And we do! We make the art we want and support each other. We've been fortunate to work on some of the same shows since we started dating and we've held that same standard of professionalism. When we're at the theatre, we're there to work and to have fun making art and supporting each other and our teams."

"Tim was actually the first person I let read The Pledge," O'Connor explained. "I made him read it the night before I had a first unofficial reading because, selfishly, I wanted to hear that it was great and I knew he would support me, but I also couldn't imagine letting other people read it before him. We've worked together before; last season at Brelby, Tim designed the Lights for Ghost: the Musical and I was the Stage Manager, so when we found out he'd been hired to design the lights and sound for The Pledge, I was so excited! Tim is an amazing designer and he takes his work very seriously. I knew that he would be very dedicated to finding ways to understand the shows meaning to make it look incredible. It's nice to be able to talk to your boyfriend about your work. I'm so lucky that Tim Loves theatre and understands the challenges and triumphs that go along with producing a new work. He's so wonderful and supportive and it's been so fun to share this adventure with him and I look forward to many more! The Pledge is about a search for the truth through lots of distraction. It's been an amazing experience so far. Everything has been so exciting, from production meetings and working with designers, to rehearsals and watching everyone bring the characters and the story to life. Seeing how far everyone is pushing themselves to tell the story has been humbling to witness and be apart of. Audiences should come seeThe Pledge because it's a close-up magic show with lots of twists and turns that will blow your pants off!"

McCandless' perspective is different, but equally enthusiastic.

"Working with my girlfriend on her first full-length play has been nothing short of wonderful. I have been able to witness how this script came together from the earliest stages (pun intended) of the writing process. When we were first dating, I remember we were texting each other one day about magic. She mentioned that she was doing research on magicians, their acts and magic tricks for a play she was writing. I thought it was the coolest idea ever. When I found out that The Pledge was a part of Brelby's 9th season, I knew I just had to be a part of it I then applied for a number of shows to design, but The Pledge was the one I wanted the most. I am so glad I'm able to design the lighting and sound for this terrific play. It's intelligent, witty, beautiful, charming and passionate - just like Megan. I hope to write half as well as her someday, and I look forward to working with her on her many future masterpiece plays. This show, in short, is about deception. Magic is full of it. Life is full of it. And this show beautifully intertwines both and shows you where and how that deception is manifested. People are not always who they appear to be. The Pledge is wonderfully unique. How many plays have incorporated actual magic tricks into the story? This play does it well, and it's exciting - you're seeing a part of a magic show within a play. I again say: unique! The magic in this show is real, folks. I don't just mean the magic tricks themselves, but also the magic that lies inherently in the dialogue, characters and story. Come witness the magic!"

The Pledge by Megan O'Connor is directed by Brian Maticic and plays June 16-17, 23-24, 30, July 1 at 7:30pm and June 18, 25 at 2pm.

Brelby partners with local downtown Glendale businesses to offer more options for audience members. By showing their digital ticket, audiences can receive 10% off of their bill at the Hop Stop Diner, 10% off of any entrée at Haus Murphy's Restaurant, and 10% off of a customer's bill at the Olde Towne Glendale (OTG) Beer & Wine Bar or the Gaslight Inn.

Tickets are available by visiting the official website, brelby.com/tickets. General admission is $15 per performance. Admission is included in the benefits of Brelby's ShowGO subscription: brelby.com/showgo. The Brelby Playhouse is located at 7154 N 58th Dr, Glendale, AZ 85301.

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