Florida State University’s School of Theatre presented the Tony Award winning American playwright, Richard Greenberg’s, “The Violet Hour,” Saturday at the Lab Theatre.
The drama, marked with doses of humor, filled the theater to its capacity during its second day of showings.
The play takes place during the year 1919 when New York publisher John Pace Seavering only has enough money to produce one person’s work of literature. His dilemma occurs when he has to decide whether that one text will be the works of his best friend Denny or the memoir of his secret love Jessie.
In the midst of his difficult verdict, a mysterious machine appears forming the question of whether it will help advance his business or destroy it.
The audience felt a stem of emotions throughout this two-part production. During the first half, there was enthusiasm and light-hearted sarcasm as the characters were introduced and revealing scenes uncovered genuine relationships. The second half obtained more humorous accounts and caused the audience to engage more into the story line.
Most of the comic relief came from the character Gidger, the uptight, sarcastic office employee known as the “functionary.”
The cast includes the following: second-year student, Matt Ebling as the Gidger; fourth-year student David McElwee as John Pace Seavering; fourth year student Ben Heathcoat as Denis McCleary; fourth-year student Jessica DeShaw Wyckoff as Rosamund Plinth, and FAMU alumna Dametria “Dee” Selmore as black singing phenomenon Jessie Brewster.
The FSU School of Theatre has been established for almost 37 years and has launched a collection of notable accomplishments, including prominent alumni and The London Theatre Studies Program.
“The Violet Hour” runs Oct. 2-3 and Oct. 7-10 at 8 p.m. The show is also being shown on Oct. 4 and 11 at 2 p.m. All performances of the play will be held in at the Lab Theater, located at the corner of Copeland and Lafayette streets.
The School of Theater has more productions in store for October and November including, “On the Town” and “Waiting for Godot.”
For ticket information, visit www.tickets.fsu.edu or call the FSU Fine Arts ticket office at
850- 644-6500.