Encounter the “Lost Ones” at First U.S. Performance

TEMPE, Ariz. – Discover how two feral children face the challenge to survive emotionally and physically in a war-torn, post-apocalyptic future. The ASU Herberger MainStage Theatre presents its first 2006-07 season production, The Lost Ones, by award-winning playwright Laurie Brooks. This is the U.S. premiere of the play, which debuted February 2005 in Cork, Ireland. The playwright will be present for a post-performance opening-night talk with the audience Sept. 21. The performances run Sept. 21 – Oct. 1 at the Lyceum Theatre on the ASU Tempe campus.

This timely story follows two boys, who, despite being scared, hungry and with limited language and means of communication, struggle without the joys of a carefree and comforting childhood. Armed with only a weathered copy of Peter Pan, they build a significant existence. While the play may seem bleak at the onset, Roger Bedard, theatre professor in the Herberger College of Fine Arts, believes audiences will gain insight into the characters’ idealism.

“The Lost Ones offers an affirmation of the resilience, optimism and generosity of the human spirit that transcends time, place and situation,” Bedard says. “There is hope as the protagonists find friendship and trust when they decide to journey together in their search for home.”

Bedard also believes grade-school children will benefit from the performance. A special 10 a.m. show is scheduled at ASU for students from Tempe’s Broadmor Elementary Sept. 29. Theatre faculty have designed art and writing workshops for these students, which will occur in the days before and after the special performance. Home-schooled children and their parents and teachers also are encouraged to attend this school-day performance.

The Lost Ones performance displays a real-life depiction of the characters’ reactions as they face war and embrace hope, offering patrons of all ages something meaningful.

Tickets for The Lost Ones are $7 - $22 and available at http://mainstage.asu.edu/, or through the Herberger College Box Office, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays, 480-965-6447. Show times are 7:30 p.m., Sept. 21 and 23; and 28-30; with 2 p.m. performances on Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 at the Lyceum Theatre, which is located on the northeast corner of Forest and Tyler malls on the ASU Tempe campus.

The Herberger College School of Theatre and Film provides a comprehensive range of courses in performance and directing; design and production; new work development; theatre and performance studies; film; and theatre for youth. Its Theatre for Youth program is nationally ranked in the top three and the creative writing/playwriting program is ranked 15th among public institutions by " U.S. News & World Report ." To learn more about the School of Theatre and Film, visit http://theatre.asu.edu.