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Lyons Township play explores our love of our phones
Lyons Township High School students rehearse "The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs" Monday. | Jon Langham~for Sun-Times
If you go
Performances: 7 p.m. Nov. 15, 16 and 17
Theater: Reber Center, Lyons Township High School North Campus, 100 S. Brainard Ave., La Grange
Tickets: $10 adults, $5 for children and seniors; available at the box office a half hour before the show. Admission free with LT ID.
Article Extras
Updated: December 16, 2012 6:33AM
LA GRANGE — Lyons Township High School students and director Lawrence Keller considered themselves lucky to get feedback from author Mike Daisey Nov. 9 as the group prepared to stage “The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs,” opening Nov. 15.
The multimedia presentation blending video, audio and theater explores the life and times of Apple guru Jobs, the world’s love affair with technology and the human cost of producing electronic devices.
“It’s about our world today, and it’s not a traditional play,” Keller said. “It mixes narration that borders on stand-up comedy with dramatic sections that bring firsthand accounts of the tragic consequences of what it takes to get the latest products like iPads to the consumer.”
Keller said he has admired Daisey’s work, and LT took advantage of the author making his work available to anybody to perform for free. The play eventually will be broadcast on both LTTV for cable broadcasts and WLTL-FM 88.1.
Daisey “hilariously explores our relationship with technology,” Keller said. “The play is also filled with a great sense of rage about how our favorite gadgets are made by hand.”
Keller said Daisey was “incredibly gracious” and seemed to really like LT’s vision of his work.
“The thing that intrigued me the most was that it was the first time he’d seen anybody anywhere perform it,” Keller explained. “All his pieces are one-man monologues that he performs himself extemporaneously. So I’d imagine it was a bit strange to have that out-of-body experience.”
Keller said he hopes the play will get audiences thinking.
“Will they view their cell phones differently when they think about the human hands that made them?” he asked. “Will they be as anxious to upgrade to the latest and greatest gadget?
“Or will they simply be entertained by a fantastic piece of theater,” Keller wondered “I’d be happy with any of that.”
