October 22 - 24 and 28-30, 8:00 p.m.

Loeb Mainstage

Directed by Scott Zigler

Produced by Danielle N. Drees ’12

Relationship complications, sex, and a love hexagon take the stage in “Trust,” the first Mainstage production of the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC) season, which premieres on Friday, October 22.

Composed of only six characters, Stephen Dietz’s play is this year’s visiting director’s project, which brings in a professional director for undergraduates to work with.

Scott Zigler has taken the reins as director of the show, marking his second time working on a visiting director’s project. Zigler has worked at Harvard for 14 years, as the director of the A.R.T. Institute and a Dramatic Arts professor.

He worked with the HRDC to produce a show that was both appealing to audiences and different from the rest of the productions coming out this time of year.

That happy balance was discovered in “Trust.”

“The play really shows what it’s like when you fall in love, [when] you’ve been betrayed or lied to [by] someone, or when you see someone you haven’t seen in a while,” Zigler says. “It captures the snapshots of different moments that occur to everyone sooner or later.”

Producer Danielle N. Drees ’12 agrees that the issues and experiences that arise in “Trust” are relatable to the vast majority of Harvard students. The array of new faces that worked on the production help to diversify and bring new perspectives to Harvard theater. “It’s sort of a turnover year, so we have a lot of new designers for elements such as set, lighting, and costumes. They’re already showing a great commitment to detail,” Drees says.

A minimalist set and basic costume design will accent the production, as the main focus will be on the characters’ relationships and conversations with one another. In fact, essentially the only piece of set design will be a bridge highlighted by an eastern city skyline.

This simplicity creates a sense of realism. Rheeqrheeq A. Chainey ’11, who plays Gretchen, adds, “The show is just normal people trying to push through and the hope in their lives, while still trying to get laid.”

—Jenna R. Overton