‘Private Eyes’ debuts next weekend

Collaboration creates big show
‘Private Eyes’ debuts next weekend

BY JESSICA STARK
Rice News staff

Costumes, deception and detective stories might qualify as an average Halloween, but for Lovett College senior Kate Flanagan, they are ingredients for a career that she hopes is anything but ordinary. Flanagan is the assistant director, studying under local theater leader Julia Traber, on “Private Eyes,” the first collaborative production between Rice Theatre and the Rice Players. It takes stage in Hamman Hall Nov. 7-9 and Nov. 13-15.

At the start of the semester, Flanagan had no idea that come October she would be working late nights and early mornings in Hamman Hall. She had been considering doing another show, but Christina Keefe, director of the Rice Theatre Program and producer of “Private Eyes,” encouraged her to meet with Traber before making any decisions.

“As soon as I met Julia I knew that I would love working with her,” Flanagan said. “Her experience, sense of fun and intelligence about directing made me realize that this was an opportunity to see a new kind of director at work. I signed on pretty quickly after that.”

Traber, the associate artistic director of the Classical Theatre Company, is also a guest lecturer and visiting artistic director for Rice’s Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts. In addition to her directorial duties on “Private Eyes,” Traber teaches an Introduction to Theater course.

“I was so excited to work at Rice,” Traber said. “With the changes Christina has made to the program and the concept of bringing guest artists in — I knew this was a great opportunity for me professionally and a chance for me to give back by working with students.”

There was also a degree of challenge that spurred her forward. It was the first collaboration between the two theater groups so there were kinks to be worked out. Also, many of the theater majors had chosen this fall to study abroad, leaving cast and crew positions open.

“It all worked out though,” Traber said. “Everyone has stepped up. Even if this is not their major and this is not a career they’ll be considering, they are working hard and pushing themselves.”

Traber said that Flanagan exemplifies the drive and determination needed for a good show.

“Kate is extremely savvy. She makes great notes and is that second set of eyes every director needs,” she said.

A comedy of suspicion

All sets of eyes will be needed during the production too. The show is a comedy of suspicion about actors in which nothing is ever quite what it seems. Is it all part of the play that’s being rehearsed? Is it an elaborate therapy session? Who’s having an affair and with whom? The audience will play the role of detective in this relationship thriller about love, lust and the power of deception.

The comedic and relatable characters made it the favorite choice over other productions Rice Theatre and Rice Players were considering. The inherent challenges of it — it’s set in seven locations — also made it appealing to the collaborators who, for the first time, have been able to do something really grand.

“We wanted to start with a doable but challenging play,” Keefe said. “This is huge for both groups, so we wanted to be able to do it right but dare ourselves to try something new and something big.”

Designed by Matt Schlief, the Rice Theatre production manager, the set starts out as a warehouse where the actors are rehearsing, and with the flip of a wall, becomes a restaurant, and with more turns can morph into seven other “locations.” 

“It’s been an endeavor to figure out how to use the limited space to show the different places, but Matt has done an incredible job,” Keefe said. “The students have learned so much from him and Julia.”

Good for any career

What they’ve learned from the professionals has helped the students involved make the production uniquely theirs. Students are in charge of the lighting, costumes, producing, publicity and marketing.

Catherine Bratic, a Hanszen College senior and managing coordinator for the Rice Players, is the assistant producer for this production.

“This is the largest budget I’ve ever worked with,” Bratic said. “Even though I don’t plan to pursue theater professionally, I know that this experience will help me in my career. The business, budget and people management on any production is applicable in so many careers.”

Bratic has worked on many Rice Players productions in the past and was pleased the autonomy of their theater troupe was maintained.

“It’s been a great collaboration,” she said. “No one said, ‘You have to do it like this,’ or ‘No you can’t do that.’ We worked together. The combination of people we have — the enthusiasm of the players, the talent of the Rice Theatre — has really allowed us to put out a better production.”

‘It all turns out well’

For Flanagan, who does plan to pursue professional theater, the experience has been especially valuable. Working closely with Traber has given her insight into one of the leading female directorial minds today.

“There just aren’t a lot of women out there who have made it big,” Flanagan said. “But Julia showed me that you can get work in the real world doing what you love.

“More than anything, I’ve learned that theater never breeds certainty. There’s a kind of creativity, spontaneity and thrill that comes from leaping into this world. And working in this uncertain world is feasible as long as I am willing to work hard. I don’t have to apply to law school or medical school or take a job just for practicality.”

Obviously, Traber’s biggest fear — that she had scared Flanagan out of wanting to pursue theater — was unfounded.

“I really hope that Kate comes away from this experience wanting to work in this field,” Traber said. “It’s great to see a real passion for it and love of it in the next generation.”

Flanagan said there are times at Rice when she basically eats, breathes and sleeps a production.

“But when you do what you love everything else falls into place,” she said.

Flanagan said an exchange in the movie ‘Shakespeare in Love’ comes to mind when she is in a production:

For more information on “Private Eyes,” e-mail ck1@rice.edu or players@rice.edu. Tickets are $5 for opening night only. Other performances are $5 for students; $8 for Rice alumni, faculty, staff and senior citizens; and $10 for general admission. To purchase tickets, call 713-348-PLAY.

Performances are at 8 p.m. Nov. 7-8 and 13-15 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 9.