THE WOLVES is taking over the Guignol Theatre this Thursday

Image+provided+by+University+of+Kentucky+Department+of+Theatre+and+Dance

Image provided by University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance

Jason​ ​Schroeder
November 28, 2017

The UK Department of Theatre and Dance continues the celebration of its 50th year of production with The WOLVES, a Pulitzer Prize Finalist play at the Guignol Theatre at the Singletary Center from Nov. 30 through Dec. 9.

THE​ ​WOLVES,​ ​originally​ ​written​ ​by​ ​Sarah​ ​DeLappe,​ ​is​ ​a​ ​play​ ​about​ “​​ growing​ ​up,​ ​deciding​ ​who you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​and​ ​what​ ​role​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​play​ ​in​ ​life,”​ ​said​ ​Rowen​ ​Haigh,​ ​UK’s​ ​guest​ ​director. 

Named​ ​after​ ​the​ ​soccer​ ​team​ ​the​ ​play​ ​follows,​ ​THE​ ​WOLVES​ ​may​ ​not​ ​seem​ ​like​ ​a​ ​college​-​level production, but it may surprise you.

“It accurately​ ​captures​ ​female​ ​adolescence​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​the​ ​intelligence, perseverance,​ ​and​ ​social​ ​dynamics​ ​of​ ​young​ ​women,”​ ​said​ ​Kelsey​ ​Reese​, ​who​ ​plays​ ​player seven​ ​on​ ​the​ ​team.​

​The play’s​ ​importance​ ​and​ ​potency​ ​made​ ​it​ ​a​ ​finalist​ ​for​ ​the​ ​2017​ ​Pulitzer​ ​Prize.

Something​ ​that​ ​really​ ​stands​ ​out​ ​about​ ​this​ ​play​ ​is​ ​that​ ​it​ ​has​ ​an​ ​all-female​ ​cast.​ ​With​ ​a​ ​cast​ ​total of​ ​10​ ​members,​ ​there​ ​are​ ​9​ ​players​ ​on​ ​the​ ​team​ ​and​ ​one​ ​soccer​ ​mom.

“​Having​ ​an​ ​all-female​ ​cast​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​a​ ​female​ ​director​ ​has​ ​created​ ​an​ ​incredible,​ ​safe, exploratory​ ​environment,”​ ​Reese said.

​During​ ​pre-production,​ ​the​ ​cast​ ​worked​ ​with​ ​Mike McKinney​, Sayre​ ​High​ ​School’s girls’ soccer coach, ​ ​to​ ​gain​ ​some​ ​real-life​ ​soccer​ ​skills.

“We​ ​were​ ​able​ ​to​ ​join​ ​the​ ​Sayre​ ​girls’​ ​soccer​ ​team​ ​for​ ​their​ ​last​ ​home​ ​game​ ​so​ ​that​ ​we​ ​could experience​ ​the​ ​pre-game​ ​energy​ ​and​ ​get​ ​a​ ​better​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​the​ ​type​ ​of​ ​pressure​ ​and​ ​exertion​ ​the players​ ​go​ ​through,”​ ​Haigh said.

“The​ ​soccer​ ​practices​ ​were​ ​one​ ​of​ ​my​ ​favorite​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​process,”​ ​​Reese said.

 Come​ ​see​ ​their​ ​skills​ ​in​ ​action​ ​when the play kicks off on Nov. 30.​ ​All​ ​showtimes​ ​are​ ​at 7:30​ ​p.m.​ ​Tickets​ ​for​ ​the​ ​play​ ​cost​ ​$15​ ​for​ ​adults​ ​and​ ​$10​ ​for​ ​students.