The spellbinding tales of exotic islanders, flying wombats and a monstrous man-eating octopus will be shared when adventurer Louis de Rougemont visits UCF on Nov. 14-24 \u2013 but listeners should remember not to let the truth get in the way of a good story.<\/p>\n
Theatre UCF invites anyone with a good imagination to its next production, Shipwrecked! An Entertainment — The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougement (As Told by Himself<\/em>), an astounding story of bravery, survival \u2013 and a little bit of embellishment.<\/p>\n Written by Donald Margulies, author of several plays including Dinner with Friends<\/em>, which won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Shipwrecked! is an adaptation of the Victorian memoirs of the main character. It is suitable for imaginative audiences of all ages.<\/p>\n Director Mark Brotherton expects the audience to connect with the show at the Black Box Theatre because the performance has its basis in storytelling.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe all grew up with people telling us stories \u2013 before we go to bed, sitting around a campfire, listening to our grandparents in front of the fireplace,\u201d Brotherton said. \u201cShipwrecked uses this device of storytelling and then adds elements of theatre to make it even more exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n And in this account, the play examines how far we\u2019re willing to blur the line between fact and fiction to be remembered.<\/p>\n Eric Earley, a junior in the BFA acting program at UCF, said he was drawn to perform in the play because it pulled him into the adventurer\u2019s world, which stretches over more than a half century of the storyteller\u2019s life.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel blessed to tell this man\u2019s amazing adventure night after night,\u201d Early said. \u201cLouis and I are more similar then different. I find it so much fun to play Louis because of how full of wonder and excitement he is. A lot of that wonder and excitement is what drives me as a person as well.<\/p>\n Brotherton said his favorite part of working on the show was the way the cast, crew and production team added to the process of creating the show.<\/p>\n \u201cWe listened to all ideas and incorporated as many of them as we could. It is definitely an ensemble piece,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n