Furman Theatre presents “The Shadow Box” by Michael Cristofer

Furman University Theatre will present Michael Cristofer’s “The Shadow Box” April 17-21 at 8 p.m., with matinee performances April 21 and 22 at 3 p.m. All performances take place in The Playhouse on the Furman campus.

Furman Theatre presents “The Shadow Box.”

Directed by guest artist Kent Brown, the play is open to the public. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students.

In this 1977 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play, three terminally ill patients, along with family members and friends, have assembled at a hospital facility where they have agreed to participate in a psychological protocol. In exchange for sharing their intimate thoughts with a resident psychiatrist, the patients are allowed to live out their days at the hospital.

Joe is the hard-working family man who seeks the strength to help his wife and teenage son accept that he may never again return home. There is the extended family supporting Brian, a compulsive writer who uses his words like swords to fend off the mounting terror he is experiencing. Finally, there is Felicity, an elderly woman who grapples with her fading memories; while Agnes, her care-giving daughter, silently struggles to come to terms with the limits of their love for each other.

Although discussions of death inform much of “The Shadow Box,” it is far from being a clinical appraisal of the act of dying. Instead, it is a compelling and compassionate play about the empowering act of self-realization – about the act of living one’s last days with courage, love and dignity.

Cast members for “The Shadow Box” are:

Beverly: Karsen Green
Mark: Patrick Fretwell
Brian: Derek Leonard
Joe: Chris Sessoms
Steve: Andy Golla
Maggie: Tess Kamody
Felicity: Beth Fraser
Agnes: Emily Matthews
Voice: Courtney Dorn

For ticket information and reservations, call the Theatre Box Office at 864-294-2125. Tickets are on sale now and may be ordered online.