Christopher Kyle’s The Safety Net returns to Indiana State University’s Crossroads Repertory Theatre for 2009. Playwright Kyle was born and raised in Terre Haute and went to school at ISU. The Safety Net premiered at the Michael Weller Theater in New York in 2005, two years after Crossroads Repertory Theatre featured it as part of its New Play Tuesday Series.
George Walker talked with the guest director for the production Indiana University faculty member Crossroads Repertory Theatre. “Actually, I had worked with Chris directing a one act play of his. It was twenty some years ago and he reminded me of it. The Safety Net is a good serious play that takes on some serious challenges in a serious and sometimes humorous way. Chris and I have been talking about the play, its message and the motivations of its characters. I’m happy to say the Chris continues to see it as an active work in progress.”
McFadden’s wife, Sherry McFadden, has worked in Indiana State University’s Theatre Department for many years. She’s the costume designer for all of the shows this summer, including The Safety Net. Dale McFadden said that he’s been telling his cast, “Please make all your appointments for fittings on time so that I can talk about something else with my wife at dinner.”
In The Safety Net a young attorney returns to his hometown of Indianapolis for the funeral of his adopted brother. The brother had been estranged from the family and the young attorney tries to work out reconciliation and to help his brother’s fiance. The results are a disaster and McFadden said “It’s kind of the old joke that no good deed goes unpunished.”
