Theatre--Performance

David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize winning play Proof is the struggle of a young woman to be her own person.
This play is the story of a young woman climbing out of her father’s shadow. Catherine, age 25, is the daughter of a brilliant mathematician, Robert, who of the last five years has suffered from a psychological, degenerative disease that caused him extreme paranoia and disorientation on a good day. Catherine is the one who has had to take care of him while her older sister, Claire has been living her dream life in New York City. When Robert dies, a former student, Hal, appears to try and see if Robert had done any mathematical finds even whilst in sickness. Catherine tells him to give up because it is impossible but he is persistent. On top of the struggles she is already going through, she is also struggling with the worry that she may have inherited more than just her father’s genius.

The cast is made up of students in the Theatre Emphasis at University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a very well-known and experienced actor and designer in Lafayette, La. Playing the lead role is sophomore Casie Heim, her father is played by Duncan Thistlethwaite, her sister is played by Kristen Dubois, and the student is played by Casey Robichaux. The design team include UL senior Kelsey LaCoste as a student director with Nathan Gabriel as her mentor; UL junior Mario Raymond as the scenic and lighting designer with Travis Johnson as his mentor; Robert Benoit, a sound designer from New Orleans; and Amanda Lyon, a graduate from  UL’s college of the arts, as the Costume designer.

“The first time I read this play, it spoke to me. When I discovered the opportunity through the Music and Performing Arts Department to produce a play at the intimate space at Theatre 810, I realized this play would fit into that space perfectly” said Kelsey LaCoste, the director. The play goes up September 28 and 29 at 7 pm and September 30 at 2 pm with tickets at $10 general admission and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at http://proofulpad.eventbrite.com/ or reserved over the phone at (337) 484-0172.