This weekend, the Southern Utah University Black Box will see a production of “Sex” on April 11 and Apr. 12 at 7:30 p.m. The production is directed by Abbie Cochrane, a graduating senior who has been working for the past six months to bring this show together.
“Sex” is a one-act play by Mae West that follows Margy LaMont, a prostitute in Montreal’s Red Light District during the 1920s. Margy has decided to “go straight,” and quit the life she is leading and settle down with someone who will genuinely love her. She has to grapple with two options: Lieutenant Gregg — an English naval officer who knows Margy’s past and loves her nonetheless — or Jimmy Stanton — a wealthy young man who has no clue but is deeply infatuated.
“I wanted to focus on why it is so important to tell stories that feature unsavory things. These stories are very real and relatable; they surround wanting to change your life and wanting to express yourself,” said Cochrane.
For Black Box Grants, participants are not guaranteed, and in this production, there were many complications to overcome. Cochrane has also stepped into the roles of props supervisor and fight coordinator, on top of directing, in order to keep things rolling. The process for putting this show together has been full of bumps in the road, but the cast and crew has worked to make the show the best it can be.
Bex Miller, the actor playing Margy, stepped outside of their comfort zone for this show, having mostly played younger roles until now. As intimacy is an important aspect of the piece, they gained a new perspective on confronting unfamiliar territory.
“It’s good to engage with stuff that sounds like it might make you uncomfortable. I think there is a lot to learn from things that make you uncomfortable,” said Miller. “We have a lot to say that’s worth listening to, even if you walk away still disagreeing with it.”
The show has no intermission and runs just over an hour, and the box office will open 30 minutes before the show begins. Tickets are $5 and viewer discretion is advised due to the content of the show.
Author: Rory Quill
Photographer: Rory Quill
Editor: Tessa Cheshire
arts@suunews.net
