Director's Note for Split

An interview with SPLIT Director Alan Brincks  

Wake up! Spring is right around the corner! Our second play this semester confronts us with the dreams of six individual characters in SPLIT. Instructor of Theatre and director Alan Brincks gives us a glimpse of what to expect from this play.

So, Alan, what can a person expect when they go to see SPLIT?

Alan: This play is about characters who have big dreams and little time to spare, which creates its own unique rhythms and pace. The play is about 70 minutes long and interspersed with plenty of ‘movement arias’ that comment on the action, similar to what audiences might find in a Brecht play or Greek drama. Additionally, these characters are all going through a point of crisis in their lives; but Moore presents these moments in ways in which we can all sympathize, whether they are poignant or comedic.  

The writer of this play, Allison Moore, is a native Texan. Did this effect your decision to direct one of her plays? 

Alan: Actually, no. That was a happy accident! I stumbled across this play a number of years ago and always loved the script. I thought the sections of movement indicated by Moore would be a good opportunity for our students to experience a small portion of a ‘devised’ or experimental process of playmaking they might encounter in cities such as Minneapolis or New York City. The fact that Allison Moore was from Texas was something I discovered after I was already intrigued by her writing.

Last year about this time you directed Twelfth Night here at Lamar University. How does directing SPLIT differ from that process?

Alan: One of the main differences is that Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night has been produced thousands of times since it was originally written over 400 years ago, so there is a certain familiarity with the play (or at least the playwright) to audiences. To my knowledge, this is only the second time SPLIT has been produced. So even though it was first produced in 2006, it is still very new. However, in terms of the use of rhythm, poetic language, and to a certain extent the structure, the two shows could be seen as quite similar.

This play was originally commissioned by the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis in 2006. What can audiences gain from experiencing this production in February 2022? 

Alan: There is something familiar about how these characters are forced to confront the idea that lives are made up of fragments of time. After two years of a pandemic, with a war going on, an economic crisis looming, and the climate evolving what seems like daily, I think we all have different views of what time means to each of us as we adjust the rhythm of our everyday lives accordingly.

The Last Word: The last word is yours. Anything you want to say to interested parties, the cast and crew, the Lamar community, etc...?

Alan: I’m proud of the work these students are putting into this difficult process, and invigorated by the growth they are making as a result. I can’t wait for them to share with audiences!

Alan, thank you for joining us and discussing SPLIT.

Alan: My pleasure!

The show runs April 7-9 at 7:30 p.m. and April 10 at 2 p.m. in the Lamar University Studio Theatre. For those who are coming for the first time, the Studio Theatre is located between the Dishman Art Museum and the Jimmy Simmons Music Building on the Lamar University campus. Tickets may be purchased online at lamar.edu/lutdtix or at the door an hour before performances. For additional information be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @lamarutheatredance.