The spring semester is nearing an end, but NIC’s theater department has not been slowing down one bit. On the evenings of April 11, 12, 13, and 14 the theater department presented “Laundry and Bourbon” and “Lone Star,” two one-act plays by James McLure. A one-act play is what you might guess it to be, a play which tells its story within one act. What is special, however, about these two one-act plays is they are written as “companion plays” intended to be performed together as an evening of theatre. This is what the NIC drama department did.
Both plays follow a central character, Roy, who was drafted for the Vietnam War and has now been home for just over two years (the year is set in 1977). Both plays are comedic in nature but cover some of the more serious and darker effects of war on home life. The plays, however, were rehearsed separately and cast separate characters.
“The more familiar you are with the other play, the more information you get about your own character and her or his situation. So, that symbiosis brings more to the performance as well,” said Joe Jacoby, head of the NIC theater department.
“Laundry and Bourbon”, directed by Heath Hunnicutt, a former student of NIC, has a cast of three characters: Elizabeth, played by Lo Miles, Hattie, played by Alix Welter, and Amy Lee, played by Josy Wegner.
Elizabeth, Roy’s wife, spends a hot day at her house in Maynard, Texas having a few drinks of bourbon and enjoying a game show on the TV, while Hattie folds laundry. The audience hears about how Roy has not been home for two days. Elizabeth is pregnant, but has not told him yet.
“Lone Star”, directed by Jacoby, casts three characters as well: Roy, played by Brendan Latimer, Ray (Roy’s younger brother), played by Cole Durbin, and Cletis, played by Gustave Lester. The setting is still in Maynard, Texas, but this time the characters are at a bar. The act focuses mainly on Ray and Roy’s relationship as brothers. Due to a bad knee, or a “football knee”, Ray was excused from the draft and has a hard time relating to Roy. Ray is also forced to bring to light events that happened in Roy’s absence, giving the play a serious note.
“It’s really funny when you can relate it to the real things that happen in your life,” said Aaron Baldwin, 21, Coeur d’Alene resident.
Auditions for “Lone Star” and “Laundry and Bourbon” were open to the public like the majority of drama events at NIC. Jacoby said there was a good showing for the auditions, where each person did a cold reading.
“It was a tough process; there were a lot of people that really did some very nice work,” he said.
“I’ve never been to one of these student productions before, and I’m surprised that they’re free,” said Diane Fuller, 64, retired Coeur d’Alene resident.
