Auburn University Montgomery’s theater is producing a brand-new play called “Weightless.” This will be the very first time the script is being produced. It was written by Meghan Reimers. She is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts degree as a member of the playwright’s lab at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.
“Weightless” is a fantastical and magical play that centers around a young boy named Caleb, a young woman named Lucie, Lucie’s overprotective mother, Marie, and her plotting aunt, Julie. The play exists in a world of magic. Lucie is cursed with no gravity and is bound to a lake. Caleb wanders in on the lake and that begins his love affair with Lucie.
I spoke with AUM’s Director of Performance Studies, Neil David Seibel. He is also the director of the play. I asked him why people should come see the show.
“Because it’s fun,” Seibel said. “It’s very fun in that it is different, it’s very bright, it’s very colorful, it’s not dark, it’s easy to get into. I think there’s a lot of clever and interesting solutions that are visually appealing that will be fun to watch.”
There are a group of ensemble characters in the play called the elements. They represent each element of nature, earth, air, fire, and water. They are in every scene, yet no one can see them. These four characters are not written in the script. They are entirely Seibel’s creation.
“At times they’re these little gremlin characters,” said Seibel. “At times they’re the wind, at times they’re heat, fire and at times they’re the water and the air that lifts somebody up. So, it’s really fun to watch how they live and work through this world and how we create a sense of a world that is not realistic.”
“Weightless” opens on Feb. 15. Show times and dates are Feb. 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24 at 7:30 p.m. The show closes on Feb. 25 at 2:00 p.m. If interested in seeing the play, AUM’s theatre is located in the Taylor Center.
By Marcus Godbee
FOR PHOTOS OF THE PRODUCTION, CLICK HERE.