VSU Theatre and Dance Presents “Lonely, I’m Not” Sept. 5-11

Playgoer’s Advisory: This production contains adult language and mature themes and is not recommended for young audiences.

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s Theatre and Dance Area will celebrate the opening of its 2013-2014 season with Paul Weitz’s “Lonely, I’m Not.” Performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, through Saturday, Sept. 7; 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9, through Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Set in various places in present-day California and New York City, “Lonely, I’m Not” is a romantic and comedic journey about a damaged boy — Porter (played by VSU student Matthew A. Tito) — who meets a defensive girl — Heather (played by VSU student Charlotte Grady). He has been married and divorced, earned seven figures as a corporate “ninja,” suffered a nervous breakdown, and been unemployed, as well as dateless, for four years; he has decided it is finally time to give life another shot. She is an ambitious, young, visually impaired businesswoman, obsessed with work and trying to overcome her own emotional issues.

H. Duke Guthrie, director and VSU Theatre and Dance Area professor, said “Lonely, I’m Not” is a new play, a very contemporary play. It opened Off-Broadway, at New York City’s 2econd Stage Theatre in April 2012. He said most South Georgians are likely unfamiliar with the play. However, exposure to unfamiliar literature is part of what a university theatre program should be providing, he added.

“It is a full-length one-act, [which is] pretty standard for works written in the 21^st century,” he explained. “It is heavily influenced by contemporary culture. It has a very cinematic structure, frank discussions between characters, and language most often heard on premium cable channels. University programming sometimes has a reputation for being a bit dusty or stale, so addressing a fairly classic boy-meets-girl story in a way that is easily recognizable to people who text and tweet regularly is a good thing.”

Weitz is best known as an American film producer, screenwriter, film director, and actor. He first achieved mainstream success with the animated film “Antz,” which he co-wrote with his brother Chris Weitz and Todd Alcott. He and his brother directed the movie “American Pie” and “About a Boy,” which earned them an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. He has also directed such films as “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” and “Little Fockers,” and he wrote and directed “Being Flynn.” In addition to his work in the film industry, he has written a number of plays, including “Lonely, I’m Not,” a New York Times critic pick.      

Individual tickets for “Lonely, I’m Not” are $12 plus tax for adults, $10 plus tax for senior citizens, $8 plus tax for children and non-VSU students, and free for all VSU students with a valid university identification card. They are $7 plus tax for groups of 10 or more at a single performance.

Season memberships, which include eight admissions to be used as desired by the member throughout the 2013-2014 theatre and dance season, are $55 plus tax for the public and $50 plus tax for university faculty and staff. Patronages are available at a variety of levels, from $150 to $1,000, and benefit scholarships.

All individual tickets and season memberships will incur a 25-cent processing fee. 

Performed on the Lab Theatre stage on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building — which is located at the intersection of Brookwood Drive and Oak Street — “Lonely, I’m Not” contains adult language and mature themes and will be presented without an intermission.

Tickets may be purchased by calling the VSU Theatre and Dance Box Office at (229) 333-5973 between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Contact H. Duke Guthrie at (229) 333-5307 or dguthrie@valdosta.edu to learn more.

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