The Arkansas State University Department of Theatre will begin the 2023-2024 season Sept. 29 with “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”

The play, written by Simon Stephens and based on a book of the same name by Mark Haddon, follows a 15-year-old boy, Christopher Boone, who discovers his neighbor’s dog after it has been killed with a garden fork. 

DayDay Robinson, an assistant professor of theatre, is directing the play. She said this play uses a non-linear structure and uses unique ways of presenting information to the audience. 

“It jumps back to the past for him through his memories and the way that he perceives things, as well as what is currently happening with him. There are some dream sequences that happen; so, you can be in one scene where it seems like it’s the present time and then the following scene is him going through a memory from five years ago,” Robinson said. 

She said the play uses a minimal set and uses actors to portray set pieces and props.  

“We have six people who make up our ensemble who do a lot of stuff from acting to moving sets to becoming furniture because we’re looking at how Christopher views things. So, instead of having a physical microwave, someone might have their hand out and then open it for him,” Robinson said. 

Alex Jones, a senior theatre major from Russellville, Arkansas, plays Ed Boone, Christopher’s father. 

“We get to use our imagination a lot. So it’s like, we come to rehearsal every day and it’s something new we get to do every single day,” he said. “We have a very small set and use acting blocks and use ourselves for most of it.”

The play also presents a story within the story as Christopher writes a book about his experience. 

Allie Jones, a senior theatre major from Jonesboro, plays Siobhan, Christopher’s teacher and the narrator of the play. 

“(Siobhan is) like a secondary mother to Christopher. She really understands him and she’s one of the few people that he trusts and he writes this book and he gives it to Siobhan and so most of the show is her reading the book and you see what he’s written,” she said. 

Kaito Ito, a senior theatre major from Tokyo, plays Christopher in the show. He said the character learns a lot throughout the play. 

“He likes his own world and he doesn’t like going out, like socializing with other people. But, he decided to go to the big city by himself, because lots of things happened and he grew up through those journeys,” Ito said. 

Robinson said none of the actors ever leave the stage, which makes the ensemble an important part of the show. 

Joanna Crites, a first-year theatre and English major from Alma, Arkansas, acts as a part of the ensemble. She plays Voice Five, as well as other small parts. 

“Specifically with the voices, we tend to be kind of like his internal monologue which can be hectic and crazy,” Crites said. 

Robinson said Christopher thinks differently than most people, but the play does not place a diagnosis on him. The author of the book the play is based on originally gave a diagnosis, but later recalled it. 

“It’s just about someone who’s an outsider who thinks differently, who experiences the world differently. It doesn’t make him any less human or any less normal because we are living in his normality,” Robinson said. 

She said she believes everyone experiences feeling limited or being an outsider. 

“To be able to see someone who gets overwhelmed by things easily and doesn’t always understand how to react to those, be able to explore the world on his own and to tell his own story might encourage people to do the same themselves,” Robinson said. 

The director said the show contains adult language and descriptions of animal abuse. 

Haley Reed, a junior theatre major from Bay, Arkansas, serves as the stage manager for the show. 

“I really think it’s a family friendly-ish show, probably more on the mature side. But it’s very heartwarming. There are some sad parts in it, but it’s really a good drama piece,” Reed said. 

The show will be performed Sept. 29-30 and Oct. 6-7 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 1 and 8 at 2:30 p.m. in the Simpson Theatre. Tickets cost $15 for adults, but A-State students get in free with their student ID. 

Categories: Arts & Entertainment