By Rhiannon Saegert/managing editor
Fool for Love by Sam Shepard, an explosive story of star-crossed lovers who should remain apart for everyone’s sake, including their own, opens next month on NE Campus.
The lovers at the story’s center, Eddie and May, are hopelessly drawn to each other despite a secret tearing them apart.
NE drama associate professor Stephen Thomas, who is directing the play, said he appreciates its themes of hopelessness of relationships and the death of the American ideal.
“This story is a modern-day Western love story that doesn’t work out,” he said. “This play is a tough challenge for actors, very hot circumstances. It’s also one of the first plays that he [Shepard] wrote with a really strong female role. She doesn’t just cave in.”
LeeAnn Ducker, who plays May, describes the play as “M. Night Shyamalan meets John Wayne.”
She said May is angry, bitter and just trying to move on from her toxic relationship with Eddie.
“Mainly because this jackass won’t leave me alone,” she said. “It’s like that leech of an ex that never leaves. It’s annoying because it drives her crazy, but it shouldn’t.”
Jake Blakeman, who plays Eddie, describes their love story as “one that shouldn’t happen.”
“You can’t ignore it. It’s a love story that has no regard for human safety,” Blakeman said.
Stephen Devereaux plays Martin, an all-around decent guy who is the sole witness to Eddie and May’s insanity.
“He’s stuck in the middle of this big fight, and he can’t leave,” Devereaux said. “Martin’s a nice guy, but he’s not afraid to get defensive.”
The play’s final character is known only as The Old Man. Actor Alex Pope describes the character as reminiscent of a Sam Elliott role.
“He’s a real old cowboy,” he said, “not necessarily a good guy, a drunk, gruff.”
The Old Man stays onstage throughout the play, telling seemingly unrelated anecdotes without interacting with the other characters. His role becomes clearer as the play progresses.
Fool for Love will run Dec. 4-7 at 7 p.m. with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee Dec. 7. Tickets are free to TCC students, faculty and staff, $3 for other students and senior citizens and $6 for the general public. To reserve tickets, call the NE box office at 817-515-6687.
