West Coast play seeks to inspire East Coast audiences

The Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre is presenting “Kindred” by Los
Angeles-based playwright Daniel Keleher this Thursday through Saturday at
the Shafer Street Playhouse.

Director Hillary Florstedt, a second-year theater-performance major who
has acquired a slot in the mostly student-run venue, has been an admirer of
Keleher’s work since she first saw the play performed three years ago.

“One of my mentors at the time, Stephen Rider out in L.A., was in (Keleher’s)
play for a workshop, and a couple of local directors came out to see it and they
wanted to put it up in a theater in L.A.,” Florstedt said. “It achieved acclaim
both from critics and audiences.”

“Kindred” is the emotional and heroic story of two prison inmates set in
the present day. The story begins 90 minutes before one of the inmates is to
be executed. Florstedt said the aspect of the play that grabbed her most was
Keleher’s witty and profound writing.

“I feel in love with it, because it’s so powerful,” she said. “Because it’s so
brilliantly written – if you listen closely to the words – the play starts quoting
itself in your head.”

Florstedt’s determination helped
her get the play’s East Coast premiere
off the ground.

“I found a way to get in contact
with Mr. Kelleher-he e-mailed me
the script, asked me specifics about
the space we’d be performing in and
told me good luck,” Florstedt said.

The next step in the process was
to get approval to produce the play from the Shafer Alliance Laboratory Theatre.
Acquiring approval from the theater often proves difficult for students who are
early in their college careers.

“I was surprised, because they normally give priority to grad students, then
seniors, then down the line to lower classmen,” Florstedt said. “But there was
enough open space in the season, and I guess they really liked the writing.”

“Kindred,” starring Eric Popp, Alec Stephens III and Zach Finch is being
performed at the Shafer Street Playhouse in the Newdick Theatre Thursday
Feb. 28 to March 1 at 7 p.m. Admission is free.