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'Take Me Out' by Richard Greenberg

The Indiana University Department of Theatre and Drama presents Take Me Out a "Tony Award-winning tale of self-discovery, baseball." The director is MFA candidate Jonathan Courtemanche. Courtemanche was the assistant director for IU's As You Like It" and Hamlet.

"I guess I'm moving from the Shakespearean classics of drama to play set in America's classic Game. Although the playwright Richard Greenberg hadn't written anything of a sporting nature before, he simply fell in love with base ball ."

First year graduate student Jason Wright plays Take Me Out's central figure, Darren Lemming. Lemming a major league star. He's a beloved, magnetic, supremely confidant male figure. "Yes, " says Wright. "And if that didn't present enough of a challenge for me, he comes out! And then, the audience the fan base and most of all the other players have to deal with what's still an unprecedented move."

Director Courtemanche wanted to make his play as realistic as possible and he went for some professional help. "We were fortunate enough to have Tracey Smith, Indiana University's Head BaseBall Coach agree to help. He invited us to practice and to meet with the team. He even coached us on specific moves and even more important on attitudes. Coach Smith said that he is always irritated when a TV show or movie has a baseball sequence that just doesn't work and he wanted to be sure that we got it right."

Take Me Out by Richard Greenberg

Indiana University Department of Theatre and Drama

Wells-Metz Theatre

March 26-27, 30-31 and April 1-3, 2010

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