Theater Spotlight of the Week: Emilie Buske

by Shawn Parikh

Runway Theatre is about to end their 25th anniversary season with Lonely Planet, a show that is part of their Departure Series. This series is created for shows that don't necessarily fit into their season but challenge all actors, directors, designers, and audiences. Emilie Buske is directing the two-person show, so it was the perfect week to feature her.

We start by talking about her career and how she became involved with Runway. She talks about the uniqueness of the theater company and what attracted her to it.

She talks about why Lonely Planet was chosen as part of their Departure Series and how this series has evolved over the years. The show is about Jody who runs a map store and his friend, Carl who has been bringing chairs of dead friends into Jody's store and leaving them there. When Jody needs to take an AIDS test, Carl tries to convince him it is not only okay to leave the store but also that he must take responsibility for his life. With such a serious undertone, I ask what she thinks the audience reaction will be.

I ask how it is to direct and design around a two-person cast. Not mentioned in the interview, she does comment about the use of chairs throughout the show. "Hundreds of chairs are brought on to represent people's lives. The chairs were gathered from my grandfather's barn, other theaters and lots of friends and, of course, some found on the side of the street."

We end by talking about what she wants the audience to walk away thinking. The show only runs from August 8 - 17 and tickets can be purchased online or by calling 817-488-4842.