Starkville Community Theatre will present their production of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” from Feb. 8 to 11, and from Feb. 13 to 17.
Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m., and a matinee will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
This comedy, written by Steve Martin, is about a young Pablo Picasso and a young Albert Einstein. They are each in their early 20s when they meet each other in a bar in 1904. They start talking about the impact they are going to leave on the 20th century, while they reflect on the century’s achievements and prospects.
Sean Dyess, director of the production, said he wanted to direct the play because of his love for Steve Martin and the sense of humor from this piece.
“I love his style and his comedic timing,” Dyess said. “I love his sense of humor, and he is actually a very brilliant guy. He is very intellectual, but I have just always been a Steve Martin fan.”
Dyess said the show is not only filled with the intellect and humor of Steve Martin, but there are moments throughout the play which will intrigue the audience.
“During the play, a visitor comes back from the future who speaks to Einstein and Picasso about their impact compared to other’s impacts on the 20th century,” Dyess said. “Also, we did something interesting with the casting to where the visitor is one surprise, and then there is another surprise on top of that.”
Sean McCarthy, who will play Picasso, said playing the role of such an iconic, historical figure is an exciting and interesting experience.
“He is very intense, which I try to embody, and I feel like I can resonate with him,” McCarthy said. “I have always loved the fine arts, and it is really cool to embody someone who is so interesting, and made such an impact on the 20th century. With Picasso, it is very up and down, very emotional, and that, to me, is just very fun to play.
McCarthy said portraying a historical figure is a different sort of challenge than portraying other characters.
“It can be difficult,” McCarthy said. “Because you are embodying someone who is a historical figure that we know from literature and from his artwork, but no one knows him personally.”
This production brings many characters to life through the various interactions they have throughout the story.
Taylor Comer, who plays Sagot, said he is excited to be in his first production and to bring his character to life.
“I am excited to finally be getting to do theatre,” Comer said. “My character is very upbeat and energetic, and he is very egocentric in a way. He thinks very highly of his own ability to determine what is good art. He actually has a whole monologue about how he is the person who determines taste for art.”
Brad Robertson, who plays Einstein, said he is ready to perform in front of an audience.
“The way the cast has come together is really exciting,” Robertson said. “I absolutely enjoy the scenes Einstein and Picasso have together. It is interesting because they are two people with two different options; it’s two different aspects. We have to get into each other’s faces and really pick a side, and it is really fun.”
Dyess, McCarthy, Comer and Robertson all said they hope the audience comes with with a receptive mind.
“I hope the audience comes with an open mind,” McCarthy said. “Willing to focus, and pay attention to what the characters are saying, because it is a very witty show. A lot of the language is humorous because it is wordplay or it is historically humorous.”
Tickets are for sale for $15 or $10 for students with a current ID. Reservations can be made by calling the Starkville Community Theatre office at 662-323-6855.
