BWW Previews: THOUGHT PROVOKING DRAMA PROOF is Second Production at Stageworks

After their successful debut at the 2017 Tampa International Fringe Festival, new professional theatre company, Innovocative Theatre has selected an incredible play for their second production.

Written by David Auburn, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Proof will open on Thursday, July 20 through 30 at their partner venue Stageworks, 1120 E. Kennedy Blvd.

Featuring actors Marie-Claude Tremblay, Dennis Duggan, Devin Devi, and Staci Sabarsky, Proof tells the story of Catherine, a troubled young woman coming to terms with possibility of not only inheriting her mathematician father's brilliance, but also his instability and madness.

On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, who has spent years her adult life caring for her father, must come to terms with her long-buried feelings and fears, now that she is left alone in the home that contains hundreds of his handwritten notebooks.

These feelings only increase with the arrival of her estranged older sister Claire and by the attentions of Hal, her father's former student, who hopes to find something of value in her father's notebooks.

Over the long weekend that follows, Catherine is left questioning how much of her father's genius or madness will she inherit?

Doing two thought-provoking shows per season, Innovocative Theatre's overall goal is to continue to produce theatre that engages the audience in powerful character-driven stories.

"I am interested in producing work that makes people question, think and debate. Theatre as an artform can really do that. There is so much we can do and conversations we can have, maybe even come up with some solutions," said actor/director, Staci Sabarsky. "I want not only to challenge our audience, but the acting community, as well."

She wants to give actors another venue to do the thought-provoking dramas, the type of work actors want to do.

The company will partner with the Hillsborough chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) by hosting a talkback session with chapter president Karen Fredricks and Dr. Marketa Wills after the July 23 performance. A young man who has struggled with mental illness will also be part of their panel discussion.NAMI information will be in the lobby during the run of the show.

"How you view Proof will depend upon the lens you are looking through," said Staci. "If you are a parent, you're going to take away different things than if you were a child taking care of a parent. I want people to walk away (from the show) having a discussion and their own interpretation of what it means to them."

Innovocative Theatre in Stageworks is located at 1120 E Kennedy Blvd. Proof runs July 20 through 30 with a preview 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, performances on Fridays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays 3pm and 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 adults, $25 seniors and student and military discount tickets are $20. Group discounts are available for parties of 10 or more. Learn more at www.facebook.com/InnovocativeTheatre. Tickets are available at https://stageworkstheatre.secure.force.com/ticket.

Innovocative Theatre's next production in January 2018 will be Keely and Du, addressing the issue of a woman's right to choose. The theatre's website is under construction, so look on their Facebook for more information about the theatre, Proof and audition information.