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DFPA Faculty and Alumni Featured in "The Liar"

DFPA Faculty and Alumni Featured in "The Liar"

The Department of Fine and Performing Arts is making quite a splash in the Chicago theatre scene. We are proud to announce that three of our faculty and staff members, as well as two of our alumni, will be working in a new Jeff nominated production, The Liar. Gracing the Writers' Theatre stage will be Loyola alumni, Nate Burger and Chris Thoren, as well as Theatre professor, Jonathan Weir. Working in prop design and costume design will be our own Julia Eberhardt and Rachel Healy (respectively).

The play illustrates the tale of the deceptively charismatic Dorante and a case of mistaken identity and young love in the city of Paris. Dorante is able to win admirers wherever he goes through his charming good looks-that is, so long as he can refrain from telling the truth. Misunderstandings, secret agendas, and witty wordplay seduce the audience in this delightfully innovative and contemptuous update of a 17th century classic French romp.

Here are a few words from the DFPA alumni and staff members about their experience working on The Liar.

Nate Burger

Describing it as both "hilarious and sort of unexpectedly beautiful", Nate Burger had a great time on The Liar. "It's contemporary, hilarious, nimble, and verbose in the best way possible," he adds. Burger also reveals that working with a group of department members provided this sense of familiarity that "made it even easier to dive in" and take more risks. It was especially fun for him to have fellow alum, Chris Thoren (BA Theatre 2013) serve as Assistant Director, Burger explains that coming from the same program made it "strangely comforting" to know the two spoke a similar language when approaching the production. This talented young actor is also very excited about the opportunity to put his studies into practice. “This play is a wonderful synthesis of all those skills I've been cultivating and all the things I was working on at Loyola" he says.

Julie Eberhardt

This being her first show at Writer's Theatre, Julia Eberhardt felt lucky to have worked on such a “funny and poignant" piece. Upon her first reading of the script, she was awed by how the “words and action all flowed, and the characters were all so well defined.”Though there are minimal props in the production, Eberhardt took this as “a chance to actually have a process with [her] work, instead of just scrambling to get to the finish.” She adds, “It was such a pleasure working with these incredibly talented actors; props aren't anything unless an actor sells it properly, and they certainly do.” The opportunity to work with multiple Loyolans was the definite highlight of her experience. “It felt like home even though I had never worked there before. I'm pretty sure this production will go down as one of the most exciting shows I have ever been a part of.”

Rachel Healy

The Liar was quite a surprise for costume designer, Rachel Healy. "It is always an amazing shock when you learn something from a group of people who have the same outpouring of passion for this art form as you yourself do" she explains. From working on this production, Healy came to see a greater connection between theatre, the act of lying, and life itself: "The act of theatre is always a bit of a lie...We are all ‘acting’ and ‘playing,’” She notes, "Ironically though, at the heart of it, we are all seeking the truth. Everyone keeps secrets. Everyone wants to be loved.  But we would risk everything to have one honest moment on this earth to be remembered by-and also do everything, even to lie, to protect it.”

Come out and support the DFPA family by seeing The Liar.

The show will run from now through Sunday, July 28. Tickets are currently available online for purchase.

Check out this preview for the production and an interview with director, William Brown, about his perspective on the play.