A&E

Acting Up opens Williams mash-up Thursday

by Walter Pierce

So, what to do with works by one of the great American playwrights? Mash them up of course.

So, what to do with works by one of the great American playwrights? Mash them up of course.

Always one to shy away from the ordinary, Acting Up (in Acadiana)'s latest production, UNBEARABLE LO_ELY: A Tennessee Williams Mash-Up, excerpts the artist's work like never before.

"The driving force behind this piece is simple. Explore the work and mind of Tennessee Williams, one of the key players in American theater, while honoring his artistic meaning," explains guest director Justin Zsebe. "It is necessary to liberate his words from the past and allow them to breathe in the theater of today, the theater of now. To approach such an immense body of work the mash-up technique was used, made popular by rogue music artists, sampling years of various material to create a new statement."

Zsebe, a Los Angeles actor/director, met members of Acting Up when he was on tour as a member of The Actors' Gang. "It is quite special when artists meet who naturally collaborate so well together, while also challenging and teaching each other," says Acting Up Artistic Director Amy Waguespack. "Justin's commitment to theatre as an art form, creating the kind of magic that can only happen in live performance, and his deep curiosity about and empathy for the human condition, make him a welcome addition to Acting Up."

The resident company at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, Acting Up is branching out for UNBEARABLE LO_ELY - performances will be held at the Acadiana Outreach Center brick warehouse.

UNBEARABLE LO_ELY: A Tennessee Williams Mash-Up presented by Acting Up (in Acadiana) Feb. 25-27, March 4-6, 11-13 Acadiana Outreach Center, 125 S. Buchanan St. Tickets available at AcA, 233-7060 actingupinacadiana.com