(Above: Nina Kuhl and Dmitri Rose make up the cast of Man and Moon, produced at Oregon Contemporary Theatre as part of the National New Play Network’s rolling world premiere program.)
Edited by Randi Bjornstad
Oregon Contemporary Theatre begins 2023 by hosting a production of Man and Moon, about a developing friendship between a transitioning man, Aaron, and Luna, a 12-year-old girl with a passion for Outer Space.
The two young people meet in the waiting room of a hospital oncology ward, adding an additional level of tension to both their young lives as they transition separately and together from the supposed certainties of childhood and sexual identity toward their future selves.
In order to be chosen for the National New Play Network’s rolling world premieres program, at least three participating theaters must agree to produce the play within a 12-month period. In addition to Oregon Contemporary Theatre, the 16th Street Theater and the Dragonfly Theatre Company in Illinois, and the Good Company Theatre in Utah, also signed on to do Man and Moon.
The actors in Eugene’s version of Man and Moon both are making their debut appearances on the OCT stage, but both have acting credentials in other productions. Nina Kuhl (she/her/hers), who plays Luna, is a seventh grader at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene and has played in Matilda the Musical with Pegasus Playhouse. Dmitri Rose (he/him/his), attends Oregon State University, where he has appeared in William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Eric Braman directs the OCT production of Siena Marilyn Ledger’s play, with costume design by Laura Tuffli, lighting by Emily K. Bolivar, sound and projection by Bradley Branam, cultural consulting by Kyle Rodriguez-Hudson, and stage management by Riley Allen.
Ledger is a playwright, actor, writer, and yogi based in San Diego, Calif., whose previous plays — The Empty Space; Inosculation; and Say NO to One Paseo — have been produced in Los Angeles, Chicago, and the United Kingdom.
Man and Moon at Oregon Contemporary Theatre
When: Pay-what-you-can preview performances at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 and 19; regular evening performances 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 20-21, 26-28, and Feb. 2-4; matinees at 2 p.m. on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5
Where: Oregon Contemporary Theatre, 194 W. Broadway, Eugene
Tickets: $15 suggested price or pay-what-you-can for Jan. 18-19 shows; $40 on Jan. 20 (opening night) includes a post-play reception; tickets for other shows $20, $34, or $44 (student discounts with valid ID), available in advance online at octheatre.org or by calling the OCT box office, 541-465-1506
