‘Truth and Beauty goes to The Loft

Melanie Anderson
Staff Writer
Dec. 2, 2004, Page 4

The Doane College theatre department expanded its horizons this past November when it took the controversial show, "Truth and Beauty," on the road to be performed at The Loft at the Mill in Lincoln.
The production, which was centered on the conflict-ridden issues of American society such as media violence and corporate corruption, was performed for three nights in Lincoln's historic Haymarket district.
According to theatre director Keith Hale, moving the play to Lincoln was a multifaceted decision.
"I wanted to get Doane's name out there and let our students have a chance to tour. Work a different kind of crowd," Hale said.
Hale opted for the loft for both its affordability and its location. While Hale wouldn't reveal the cost of the rental he did say that it was "very affordable."
Hale knew right away that he wanted to do this play in the capital city, "We knew that was the one we wanted to do there. We thought the content area would do better in a bigger city." Hale said.
Freshmen Nic Newlun and Corey Rotschafer were the two sole performers in the play.
"This play fit very well into the Haymarket atmosphere," Newlun said. Rotschafer agreed, saying, "I like the atmosphere. [It was] very modern."
Students who attended the show in Lincoln saw the advantages of the third floor loft. After seeing the show, junior Kim Martikainen said, "I like the area. It didn't feel cramped like the Con. There is a lot more you could do with lighting and stuff."
Hale described the play as an in depth look at how media culture distorts our feeling and sense of reality. Rotschafer and Newlun took that definition one step farther.
"It's about questioning authority and realizing that our lives are often controlled by the media," Rotschafer said.
Newlun added that he feels "this is the very soul of what American democracy is all about."