USU theater department presents “The Game of Love and Chance”

Characters in paper mâché wigs, men in heels and women in corsets all made an appearance at the opening night of the Utah State University theater department’s production of “The Game of Love and Chance.”

Tuesday was the play’s opening night, which was held in the Black Box Studio Theater. They will perform nightly at 7:30 p.m. until Saturday.

The play is about a wealthy man and woman who are betrothed, though they have never met. During the play, both the man and the woman choose to trade places with their lower-class servants in order to assess each other before their wedding date. In the end, the wealthy man and woman end up falling in love despite their role change.

“It’s a love story about what happens when you try and take control of love,” said Jason Spelbring, the play’s director. “Love prevails throughout.”

The play was originally written in the 18th century by French playwright Pierre de Marivaux, but the version the Utah State theater department produced was translated by American playwright Steven Wadsworth. This has made the play easier to understand, according to Spelbring.

“You’re going to hear and understand everything that’s going on,” Spelbring said. “It’s not going to be confusing at all.”

Although the language has been changed from its original style, the costumes and mannerisms of the characters still reflect the time period.

“It’s absolutely period,” Spelbring said. “The makeup is period, the hair is period, the clothes are period.”

The play’s costume designers have spent several weeks creating 18th-century-style clothes and paper mâché wigs.

“Our hair is literally paper, and it’s amazing,” said Krya Sorenson, who plays Silvia, the lead female role.

Along with the 18th-century-style costumes, Sorenson said the actors have to adopt mannerisms on stage that are foreign to them.

”The way one carries oneself in that period is very different from now,” Sorenson said. “In contemporary [shows], you’re very slouched and comfortable and open, but back then it was very upright and proper.”

Spelbring spent much of the rehearsal period teaching the cast the new movements.

“Getting actors in their body in this time period is foreign,” said Spelbring. “It’s challenging introducing it and keeping it consistent.”

The eight-person cast and the crew have had six weeks to prepare for the show, which is just over two hours in length.

“The amount of work we had to do is insane,” Sorenson said.

Sorenson said the show will be a unique experience for audience members.

“It’s unlike a lot of shows that we’ve done in the past,” Sorenson said. “I think that’s what makes it enticing.”