Stagecrafters tells 'Collected Stories'

Originally printed 10/8/2009 (Issue 1741 - Between The Lines News)

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ROYAL OAK -

The question of "who owns the memories...the person who lived them or the person who wrote about them" ignites a firestorm of emotions in Stagecrafters' production of "Collected Stories." Presented on the 2nd Stage of the Baldwin Theatre, this compelling drama runs Oct. 9-18.

The play traces the mentor-student relationship between Ruth, an accomplished middle-aged writer, and Lisa, her young, talented protege. Ruth is set in her ways and likes things done on her terms. Lisa learns to work with Ruth and a friendship evolves. Over a period of six years, the once star-struck student turns confidante as Ruth shares her intimate life experiences.

At one point, Ruth tells her student, "I don't care what the basis of the story is as long as it's a good story." At first, the two women are merely sharing conversation, but Lisa begins to cannibalize Ruth's stories, reinventing them into a novel of her own. When Ruth discovers this betrayal of confidence, the relationship disintegrates. The story provides a theatrical feast for character development and intrigue leading to the suspenseful final scene.

Playwright Donald Margulies based Collected Storieson on an actual lawsuit against American novelist David Leavitt. The play originally opened in Costa Mesa, Calif., in 1996. It moved to New York's Manhattan Theatre Club Stage in 1997, was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama that year and appeared as a television production on PBS.

An interactive talkback between the audience and guest speakers will take place after the performance on Oct. 10. Guest speakers include attorney Rudy Serra, author Kim Carney and attorney Jennifer Harvey, who will discuss the legal issues concerning intellectual property and "who owns the memories."

Tickets for all shows are $12. Call 248-541-6430 for tickets. All seats are reserved and there is no late seating. For more information, visit http://www.stagecrafters.org.

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