In Swimming in the Shallows, one character must ask himself an important question: “How soon is too soon to sleep with a shark?”
This second mainstage production for the Division of Theater is a modern comedic look at love as it follows the relationships between three couples, two of which are same-sex.
“Four out of the six characters are gay, but it’s not an issue in the play,” said David Haugen, director of the show and an associate professor of theater. “It’s not about gay rights. They are explored just like any other normal relationship. … These characters are very much from the 21st century.”
The play catches each relationship at a pivotal point. The first couple comprises older individuals who can’t figure out if they’ve grown too far apart. A lesbian couple faces the struggle of whether or not they should take the next step and possibly marry. The last couple has recently fallen in love and is interspecies — a man and a shark — and the man must figure out how fast he should move in the relationship.
Relating to the characters and the story being told on stage — the “therapeutic” aspect theater — is what Jessica Savitz, who plays Carla Carla, said she loves most about theater.
“It brings order to chaos,” said Savitz, a senior studying theater performance. “It’s a way for everyone to cope with everything that’s going on in their life because you can see how to cope. … They are very different types of relationships (in the play) but there are so many similarities.”
Intertwined with the focus on the different relationships is the theme of living a more meaningful life.
“It’s the idea that we can really start living our lives when we trust ourselves enough to (come out of the shallow end and) go into the deep end to see what’s out there,” said Lisa Bol, who plays Barb and is a second-year graduate student studying acting. “While it may be scary, it can be the most rewarding thing to allow yourself to get out there and seek new things.”
Haugen said the play’s format is quite different than that of a standard play — the scenes are episodic, short and condensed. Bol said that although that provided challenges to the actors, it gives the play a good pace and means that everything included is necessary to the story.
The action will take place in front of a projection screen while Garrett Hood, a junior production design student, performs his original compositions during the show.
“(The live music) is something I wanted to incorporate,” Haugen said. “To me, that is what makes theater different than film — it’s happening right now.”
If You Go
What:
Swimming in the Shallows
by Adam Bock
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Nov. 6-9
Where: Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater, Kantner Hall
Admission: Free with OU ID; $10 general admission; $7 non-OU student and senior citizen
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