WYOMISSING, Pa. – Penn State Berks will present its fall mainstage theater production, "Proof," at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, to Sunday Dec. 5, in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium. Admission is $5 for Penn State students, faculty and staff with a Penn State ID, and $10 for general admission.
"Proof" was written David Auburn and originally produced at the George Street Playhouse in 2000. It was presented on Broadway in October 2000 and it won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for drama and the Tony Award for best play.
The play centers around Catherine, the daughter of Robert, a recently deceased mathematical genius in his 50s and professor at the University of Chicago, and her struggle with mathematical genius and mental illness. Catherine cared for her father through a lengthy mental illness. Upon Robert's death, his former graduate student Hal discovers a paradigm-shifting proof about prime numbers in Robert's office. The title refers both to that proof and to the play's central question: Can Catherine prove the proof's authorship? Along with demonstrating the proof's authenticity, Catherine also finds herself in a relationship with Hal. The play explores Catherine's fear of following in her father's footsteps, both mathematically and mentally, and her desperate attempts to stay in control.
The cast and crew members are Penn State Berks students, faculty and staff members. Theater major Marie Durkota plays Catherine, Connor Alexander plays Hal, and Jamison Belliveau as Claire, Catherine’s sister.
Jim Brown, instructor in theater at Penn State Berks, is the director and producer. He also will portray Robert.
Theater major Vince Coughlin directs the production, Cori Strauss serves as the production stage manager, and Breanna Fleming as the assistant stage manager. The crew is rounded out by Robin Buckwalter as costume designer; Christopher Connelly as lighting designer; Adam Kissinger as technical director/scenic designer; and Heather Alexander as sound designer.
For more information, contact Brown at jnb20@psu.edu.