LEWISTON — A small-town diner in Kansas on a snowy night becomes a hothouse for human relationships in Bates College’s production of William Inge’s comic drama “Bus Stop.”
Directed by Martin Andrucki, Dana Professor of Theater, performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Monday, Nov. 3-5 and 7; and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 5-6, in Gannett Theater, Pettigrew Hall, 305 College St.
A 1955 Broadway hit, “Bus Stop” depicts a group of bus passengers forced by weather to spend the night together in the diner.
Embellished with sexual or romantic currents among the other characters, the plot “is driven by the explosive relationship between Bo Decker, a swaggering cowboy, and Cherie, a small-time ‘chanteuse’ who resents his overbearing attempt to make her love him,” Andrucki said.
“Students in the show are learning a lot about American culture during the early and mid-1950s. And audiences will have an opportunity to observe and think about the dynamics in a variety of male-female relationships,” he added.
Other characters include Gerald Lyman, a flirtatious retired professor; Elma Duckworth, a bright but naive waitress; and Grace Hoylard, the wary, well-defended diner owner.
The Bates production design will reflect the play’s original era. Though the plot, too, is based on American values of the 1950s, it appeals to contemporary audiences, Andrucki said, because it’s about the human need for love — a timeless concern.
“Human nature is the same today as it was in 1950 or 1550, especially when it comes to love and sexual attraction,” the director said.
Known as “the playwright of the Midwest,” Inge tended to populate his plays with isolated figures striving to make connections. Though rich in laughs, his plays are essentially dramas. “Bus Stop” was his fourth major play, preceded by the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Picnic.”
A film adaptation of “Bus Stop,” resembling the play only superficially, was released in 1956, featuring Marilyn Monroe in the role of Cherie.
Tickets are $6, $3 for seniors and non-Bates students. They are available at www.batestickets.com. For more information, call 786-6161.
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