Elgin Theatre Company show explores how technology connects us and divides us
The Elgin Theatre Company's newest production, “Dead Man's Cell Phone,” aims to raise questions about the pros and cons of digital technology in the modern age.
Those questions include: “How is continual attention to our electronics affecting our relationships?” and “Who do you love most?”
Multi-nominated and award-winning playwright Sara Ruhl posed the questions when the play premiered in 2007, and she received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play.
The show opens Friday, June 1, and runs through Sunday, June 17, at the Elgin Art Showcase, 184 Division St., eighth floor, Elgin. Tickets are $15-$18 and available online or by calling (847) 741-0532 or emailing tickets@inil.com.
“This particular play addresses some hot topics,” said Linda Collins, the show's director. “The general theme being how people are attached to their technology and how it connects us in some ways and separates us in others.
“The premise is Jean, a sweet, guileless woman, is sitting in a cafe and the guy next to her, his cellphone starts ringing and ringing and he won't answer it,” Collins of Elgin said. “She gets annoyed to the point where she gets bold enough to answer it for him.”
It turns out that Gordon, the owner of the cellphone is not answering his phone for a very good reason. Gordon is dead.
“From that moment in the show, she's trying to make his family feel better about losing him,” Collins said.
“She wants each one to think they were the last thing on his mind before he died. She proceeds to lie. It's quite the tangled web that she gets involved in.”
“Jean is one of those people that wants everybody to be happy, so she goes out of her way to tell people things that will make them happy, whether it's true or not,” said Kim Green of South Elgin, who plays Jean.
“She takes it as her mission to make his family and friends feel OK about his death,” added Green. “I don't think many other people would go to the extreme that she does with trying to comfort and rectify a dead person's life that she never knew. But for some reason, she takes it on as her responsibility.”
“She contacts his wife and says what a great guy he was before he died. She never spoke to him before he died. She just wants him to be a good person,” said William Petersen of Carpentersville, who plays Gordon.
As Jean goes about meeting up with Gordon's contacts, his family shines a light on Gordon's character.
“As she goes along and talks to his mother and brother, she starts to realize he wasn't a great guy,” Petersen said. “Gordon is not a nice guy, and that's kind of a fun role to play.”
The concept of our devices interfering with real-life relationships is certainly a relevant issue, and one that is addressed quite thoroughly throughout the play.
“It's interesting; something new,” Petersen said. “It's about technology, and that's we're all about today. I think (Gordon) has some lines that will make people think.”
“The other day I was taking a tour on a boat and everyone was taking out their cellphones and they're taking selfies. These machines end up almost controlling us,” Green added.
Although technology is at the forefront, family relationships are a prevalent topic.
“They're kind of a dysfunctional family, but who isn't these days?” Green asked. “There's no resolution in the play. Family dynamics are what they are, sometimes.”
Petersen offered up a quote from the play that occurs while Gordon is in purgatory watching the goings-on.
“Gordon talks about the afterlife and the person you most love while he's in purgatory,” he said “(He says) ‘Some mothers love their children best. Those children loved their father best and father loved the family dog,'”
“It's a dark comedy and there is adult language,” Collins added. “It's very relatable. I have no doubt that people will enjoy this show because it speaks to what's going on in the world today.”
Other cast members include Debbie Fowler of Bartlett, Andrew Ross of Carpentersville, Nicole Hanlon of Elburn, and Edward Duncan and Marilyn House of Elgin.
“Dead Man's Cell Phone”
Produced by: Elgin Theatre Company
Where: Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division St., eighth floor, Elgin
When: June 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 17. Friday and Saturday shows start at 8 p.m.; Sunday shows at 2 p.m.
Tickets: $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Call (847) 741-0532, e-mail tickets@inil.com, or visit <a href="http://www.elgin-theatre.org/">www.elgin-theatre.org</a>/.