Several degrees of stunning theater

There are almost seven billion people in the world, but only six people are between you and everyone else. There are six degrees of separation between you and seven billion people. We've all heard "it's a small world, after all," but knowing that there are only six people that stand between you everyone else sure makes it feel even smaller.  UNCW's department of theater is preparing the 1990 Broadway play "Six Degrees of Separation" by award-winning playwright John Guare.

"The play takes place in the early nineties, when most students were born, so it'll be a little piece of nostalgia for college students. But I think the most important thing is its accessibility, they're not going to see a play that was written 150 years ago, they're seeing a play that is contemporary," said director, and UNCW theater department lecturer, Ed Wagenseller.

The play is a fast-paced look at the true events in the life of con man, David Hampton. The characters all play into the cunning hands of the con man and get wrapped up in the contagious excitement of the experience.

"It's not so much about the connection of six degrees; it's about the experience, and what we are willing to sacrifice for the experience. Especially with these kids in college, even the things I did in college, the things they'll do just for the experience, they're lucky if they get out unscathed. To me, it's about the experience," said Wagenseller.

The members of the cast all expressed how easy and wonderful it was to be working with an inspiring director and a talented group of young actors. Senior Tre Cotten sites Wagenseller as the main reason he became a theater major. The actors in the play are all students and attest to the enormous relevancy of this play for other students.

"You can find more relevancy in this play than not. Everybody can relate to wanting to be something they're not, everybody can relate to having parents that are a little overbearing, everybody can relate to having parents that don't take as much interest in their lives. Thinking that this world is a big world, it's not. It's really very small," said actor Joseph Johnson.

"It's a great con story. People discover that within the con, they find out a little bit more about themselves than they wanted to, and in the end, it's a good thing. The play was good enough to be made into a Hollywood film, so it has enough in it that there's something for everyone, whether you laugh at this part, or this part touches you, or you tell your friends to come see this play because you felt something when you were watching," said actor Nick Williams.

The members of the cast are still working out last-minute blocking, and delivering perfect execution of each line in order to bring out the most thrilling experience for their audience. Also, the production will feature set designs by Randy Ward, who is the director of the graduate design program at Virginia Tech University.

"No matter what, no matter who we are, we are connected in some way. And that makes us all equal, no one is better than anyone else. At the end of the day, we're all human beings. It's a good reminder," said Cotton.

"Six Degrees of Separation" will run Feb. 23-26 and  March 1-4 in the Mainstage Theater of UNCW's Cultural Arts Building. Shows run at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, with a 2 p.m. matinee  each Sunday. Tickets are $12 general public, $10 UNCW employee/alumni or senior citizens, and $5 students. "Six Degrees" tickets are available now at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office.