BY: Marcus Godbee
Theatre’s AUM’s “Matt & Ben,”by Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers, opens Thursday, Feb 14 at 7:30p.m.
“Matt & Ben” depicts Matt Damon and Ben Affleck before they were skyrocketed into superstardom. The story explores themes of friendship, betrayal and loyalty while the two caricatures broadcast to the audience a fictionalized telling of how “Good Will Hunting” was written.
Despite the play being a story about two men, the roles are traditionally played by women. Kate Saylor, who plays the role of Matt, is taking on the biggest role of her career with this production.
“I’ve learned about myself as a performer, as well as many new things about performance in general,” Saylor said. “I cannot wait to share the product of our team’s collective efforts with our audiences over the next couple of weeks.”
When asked what an audience member should expect of the show, Saylor said they can expect to have a good time, and hopefully some laughs.
There are numerous pop-culture references throughout the play. Director Val Winkelman described the show as great for any literature or movie fans.
Show times and dates for “Matt & Ben” are Feb 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 at 7:30p.m. The final performance will be Feb 24 at 2p.m.