Uptown Players Presents Equus

edited by Madelyn Miller

Uptown Players continues its ninth season with a new performance of Equus, held February 26 - March 21, 2010, at the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater, former home of the Dallas Theater Center.

This is a play I have seen several times and it resonates with me. I first saw it on Broadway with Richard Burton (who was well-known in England and had played Martin Dysart there) Nudity on stage was a little scandalous then, but the lead smoking on stage was perfectly acceptable; Maybe being married to a psychiatrist for 35 years made me tune into this play. Now I am eagerly looking forward to seeing the Uptown Players version.

Equus chronicles the disturbing journey of a young man who seems to be a normal teenager with a passion for horses, but is harboring darker desires. Martin Dysart (Rick Espaillat), a psychiatrist, investigates the savage blinding of six horses at a stable in Hampshire, England. For no apparent reason, an unassuming 17 year-old stable boy named Alan Strang (Max Swarner), the only son of a timid father and a refined, religious mother, committed the atrocity with a hoof pick. Only Dysart seems able to grasp the answer to this psychological puzzle. As Dysart exposes the truths behind the boy's demons, he finds himself confronting his own insecurities about religion, sexuality and his relationship with his wife.

Equus opened at London's National Theatre in 1973 and became a worldwide sensation. The 2007 London revival was one of the biggest hits ever seen in the West End. The show transferred to New York where it became one of the most successful dramas of the 2008-2009 Broadway season.

The cast includes Chris Edwards, Rick Espaillat, Lisa Anne Haram, Chris Hauge, Scott Higgins, William Lanier, Dan Morrow, Mary Margaret Pyeatt, Alexander Ross, Max Swarner, Greg Turnipseed, Lee Jamison Wadley, Daylon Walton, and Carolyn Wickwire. The production is under the direction of Bruce R. Coleman.

The production runs February 26 through March 21, 2010, with shows at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. There is no production on February 28, but there is an added performance at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 18. Performances take place at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd (entrance off Blackburn), Dallas, TX 75219. Tickets are $30-40 and can be purchased online at www.uptownplayers.org or by phone at (214) 219-2718.

Viewer discretion is advised for adult situations and nudity.

About Uptown Players

I love the performances by Uptown Players. They tackle challenging materials and edgy topics with taste.Now entering its ninth season, Uptown Players has gathered a dedicated following with an annual audience base of more than 12,000 patrons, including nearly 1,000 season subscribers. The response from the community and critics has been remarkable, including more than 25 Leon Rabin Awards from the Dallas Theatre League, several hundred “The Column” Awards and 15 Theatre Critics Forum Awards in its first seven seasons. Uptown Players has also been named the best theatre company by the Dallas Voice Readers Awards for the past three years and by the Dallas Observer in 2004 and 2005. Uptown Players is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, presenting plays and musicals that challenge audiences artistically, build cultural bridges, and strive to create greater positive public awareness and acceptance through the performing arts. There is no other theater group with this unique mission in the Dallas area.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who enjoys theatre. Read her stories and reviews on www.travellady.com,  www.carladynews.com,  www.yogayaya.com,  www.cocktailatlas.com,  www.chocolateatlas.com,  www.coffeeatlas.com  and www.teaAtlas.com