Tonight, Southeastern’s theatre program will open its production of “Melancholy Play” at the Columbia Theatre’s Studio Theatre in downtown Hammond. The production will run from tonight until Saturday, Nov. 18. 

The show’s director is Southeastern’s own Dr. Anne-Liese Fox, instructor of theatre and co-coordinator of Southeastern’s International Inkslinger Playwriting Contest. The show was originally directed by Jessica Thebus in 2002.

“Melancholy Play” is a postmodern production created by award-winning American playwright Sarah Ruhl. She took the aspect of sadness and transformed it into a humorous and sarcastic drama. Along with being a playwright, Ruhl is an essayist and professor at Yale’s David Geffen School of Drama.

The show follows the main character Tilly as her melancholia is distorted into an emotional rollercoaster for the audience to enjoy. She is met with various characters who find her sorrow erotic until she switches into a state of happiness. 

Once Tilly makes this switch of disposition, her admirers fall into a deep sense of worry and miss her usual “sexy” sadness. 

Miguel Garcia, a sophomore health science major, plays Frank, who is Tilly’s tailor and one of her admirers. 

Garcia reflected on the play’s content, saying, “It deals with the absurdity of sadness. It is an emotion that is often hard to understand and can so easily be overlooked in ourselves and the loved ones around us.”

Fox was completely drawn into directing “Melancholy Play and describes it as “funny and downright delightful.”

“We have talented theater students in our cast, production team and design team. Southeastern Theatre really does provide unique opportunities for undergraduate students to branch out and take on professional-level artistic responsibilities that will prepare them for professional careers after graduation,” Fox said.

Mental health is an underlying topic the show covers through the diverse characters and their actions. For everyone, but specifically college students, mental health is something to take seriously and should be monitored with the utmost care.

“This show brings a deep and meaningful awareness to mental health and the importance of checking on our friends and loved ones,”  Lauren Price, a sophomore communication major who plays the main character Tilly, said. 

The show endured an exceptionally positive audience reaction and abundant laughter throughout its preview night performance yesterday. 

Tickets are being sold through the box office on Southeastern’s website and tickets are free for SLU students. Visit Southeastern Theatre’s theater season page, Instagram or Facebook, @southeastern_theatre for details on upcoming performances.