Kids and Controversy

Theater programs at high schools are filled with uninspiring monologues from Shakespeare, unsexy productions of Grease and scenes from The Crucible. Out in Plano, Fun House Theatre & Film serves as a counterpoint, skipping the usual riffraff and heading straight for the controversy. Playwright Neil LaBute with 15- and 16-year-olds?...

By Lauren Smart

March 20, 2014

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Theater programs at high schools are filled with uninspiring monologues from Shakespeare, unsexy productions of Grease and scenes from The Crucible. Out in Plano, Fun House Theatre & Film serves as a counterpoint, skipping the usual riffraff and heading straight for the controversy. Playwright Neil LaBute with 15- and 16-year-olds? Why the hell not? The Shape of Things, which opens Thursday, revolves around themes of psychopathy, sexual manipulation and the subjectivity of art. Brad Baker, the chair of Collin College’s theater program, steps in to direct this mature piece. In the hands of anyone else, this might be a disaster, but with the young actors at Fun House, it’s worth the $10 ticket. Fun House Theatre is located in Plano Children’s Theatre, 1301 Custer Road, Suite 706, Plano. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with 2:30 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday. More information is at funhousetheatreandfilm.com.
Thu., March 20, 7:30 p.m.; Fridays, Saturdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 2:30 p.m. Starts: March 20. Continues through March 23, 2014

Lauren Smart

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