Mason Players presents "Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone?"

Outside of George Mason University's de Laski Performing Arts Building, the Mason Players are rehearsing for their upcoming performance of the play “Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone” by Terrence McNally.

The play follows the rebellious Tommy Flowers as he struggles against being an adult. Using his dark wit and sarcasm, Tommy takes the audience on a wild ride through New York. His complexities are sure to have the audience simultaneously sympathize with and detest him.

(Photo courtesy of the George Mason University Theater Department)

Mason’s theatre space has been transformed into a New York setting complete with a telephone booth and graffiti stained walls. The play’s director, Katie Brunberg, has been busy working with the production team to make sure that the play runs smoothly.

Brunberg, a senior theatre major, has been involved with the Mason Players since fall of 2009.

“I have worked with the production team since August second,” Brunberg said when she managed to take a quick break.

The production team and the actors have been practicing since September 6. The entire team has worked seventeen days, along with two eight-hour tech days, for a total of seventy hours in preparation for opening night.

“It’s been crazy,” said Becca Ward, an actress in the play. “Rehearsals are hard but that’s why we have so many rehearsals, so we can learn to think on our feet.”

In order to be casted in the play Ward had to go through a first round of auditions. She was then selected for a callback where she auditioned again and gained a role in the play.

“Auditions were terrifying. You walk in and are expected to just go,” Ward said.

Out of 123 people who auditioned only seven were chosen to be in the play. With less than a week to go until opening night, the Mason Players have been rehearsing as much as possible.

Ward will be playing seven roles throughout the play. Including all the rehearsals, the actors have only had about two weeks to memorize their lines. Rehearsing requires the actors to read through the play several times do two to three days of table work.

“Theatre is hard,” Ward said as she reflected on the rehearsals.

Despite the intensity of rehearsals, the Mason Players are ready for their hard work to come to fruition.

“It’s been a relatively smooth process,” Brunberg said about the entire production of the play.

“I’m really excited to see it all come together.”

Opening night of “Where Has Tommy Flowers Gone” was on Thursday, October 4 at 8pm in the de Laski Performing Arts Building and goes until Sunday, October 7.