Jan. 23 through Feb. 9 — WHITE RIVER JUNCTION—$20-$45. Shaker Bridge Theatre presents “The Effect” by Lucy Prebble at Briggs Opera House. This thought-provoking drama follows two clinical trial participants whose intense chemistry raises questions about love, science, and human connection. As their relationship deepens, the supervising doctors find themselves at odds over the ethical implications of the study, challenging the audience to reconsider the impact of pharmaceuticals on emotion and desire.
The production is the third in Shaker Bridge Theatre’s 17th season and is part of its commitment to featuring works by women playwrights. Directed by SBT founder Bill Coons, the play explores the intersection of science and personal experience. Coons describes it as “two kids falling in love” while questioning whether their feelings are real or merely a product of the trial’s experimental antidepressant.
The cast includes a mix of returning and new actors. Susan Haefner, a Broadway veteran known for “State Fair,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” and “42nd Street,” plays Dr. Lorna James. Haefner has previously appeared in several SBT productions, including “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.” Tim Rush, another familiar SBT performer, plays Dr. Toby Sealey. His regional credits include “Our Town” and “All My Sons” at Weston Theater Company, as well as “The Member of the Wedding” and “The Little Foxes” at Triad Stage.
Haulston Mann portrays Tristan, one of the trial participants, and brings experience from productions of “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” He has also appeared on television in “Law & Order: SVU.” Making her Shaker Bridge Theatre debut, Sophia Grasso plays Connie, the other subject in the study. She recently starred in a New York University master of fine arts proof of concept film and a Cape Cod-based horror film.
Playwright Lucy Prebble has gained international acclaim for her television, film, and theater work. She was an executive producer and writer for HBO’s “Succession,” earning multiple awards, and co-created “I Hate Suzie,” a BAFTA-nominated drama. Her theatrical work includes “A Very Expensive Poison,” “Enron,” and “The Sugar Syndrome.”
The production team for “The Effect” includes Clif Rogers as production stage manager and lighting designer, Craig Mowery as set designer, and Martie Betts as costume designer.
For more information, visit: shakerbridgetheatre.org.
