Local playwright's work opens at Rose Firebay Theater

Local playwright Thomas Kristopher originally wrote his two one-act plays for a competition connected with the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival. In addition to winning the competition's $1000 cash prize and having his work performed in New Orleans next spring, Kristopher recently was able to have his play performed in Bloomington. Kristopher's plays, "Loose Hog in the House of God" and "On How to Accommodate Marlo's Frying Pan," opened this past weekend at the John Waldron Arts Center.\n"In short, 'On How to Accommodate Marlo's Frying Pan' is an absurd comedy and 'Loose Hog in the House of God' is a serious drama that contains adult language and situations," said Kaira Hogle, BAAC performance director.\nKristopher said he believes the issues in his play are universal.\n"In all honesty, the issues are general and universal: murder, revenge, premeditation, monotony (and) consistency," he said. "I like to leave it open. I believe theater is meant for the willing viewer. You go in with an open, willing and engaging mind, and you leave with a better sense of place and of self."\nDanielle Bruce, who has been involved with theater her whole life, directed "Two by Thomas."\n"I've done theater just about all my life in one capacity or another," Bruce said. "Even when I wasn't 'doing a show' I was still 'doing theater'." \nThe two short plays, one a tragedy and the other a comedy, compliment each other, yet keep the audience enthralled, Hogle said. The two have different settings -- one with a rundown guardrail in the fictional small town of Mirra, Miss. and the other with a modest room that could be relatively anywhere. Bruce said she believes the contrast between the two acts will attract a large audience.\n"College students will love the diversity in these two pieces, the range of content, style and emotion explored in this evening of theater," Bruce said. "It's ripe for uncensored reactions. These shows don't do the thinking for you, and psychologically it switches gears from the curious and witty to a taboo sensuality."\nThe plays compare the civil law to self morals. \n"Neither of these two pieces were written with any specific platform in mind," Thomas said. "I think you should just go in with nothing, and see what you come out with."\nKristopher, a Mississippi native, said he feels his plays will be judged on a higher standard.\n"There's a certain amount of apprehension because I feel that a lot of my artistic peers were discovered during my time in Bloomington," he said. "I'm not nervous about the talent or the production. Like most playwrights, I'm more concerned about the reception of the pieces. There's a lot of pressure on this first, trial production run."\n-- Contact staff writer Nick Bragin at nbragin@indiana.edu.