New play at APSU explores "End Days" following 9/11 tragedy
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. 鈥 In September 2003, a woman named Sylvia believed the world was going to end on an upcoming Wednesday. Her husband, a survivor of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, suffered a horrible bout of depression and refused to leave the house. And their daughter, Rachel, saw visions of both Jesus Christ and renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. 鈥 In September 2003, a woman named Sylvia believed the world was going to end on an upcoming Wednesday. Her husband, a survivor of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, suffered a horrible bout of depression and refused to leave the house. And their daughter, Rachel, saw visions of both Jesus Christ and renowned physicist Stephen Hawking.
That synopsis only scratches the surface of Deborah Zoe Laufer鈥檚 wildly original, comedic play, 鈥淓nd Days,鈥 which comes to Austin Peay State University鈥檚 Trahern Theater Feb. 22 鈥 26.
鈥淭he play is essentially a comedy, but it has some very moving moments as well,鈥 Dr. Sara Gotcher, APSU assistant professor of theater and the play鈥檚 director, said. 鈥淲hen I first read it, I said, 鈥榯his is really wild. I like this.鈥欌
The work is set two years after the 9/11 tragedy, with the family struggling to make sense of this new reality. The Miami Herald called the play 鈥渞apturously funny鈥 and that it 鈥減roves that the right playwright can inspire healing laughter in even the most sobering subjects.鈥
The play, which is being presented by the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts and the APSU Area of Theatre and Dance, will star APSU students and alumni Glen Pafford, Sarah LeJeune, Nin LaRocca and Edd Garcia. It begins at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 22-25, and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 26.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and military. Tickets are available by calling the Trahern Box Office at 221-7379. For more information, contact Gotcher at gotchers@apsu.edu.