Waltham Resident in featured role in Next Fall for the Wellesley Players

The Wellesley Players are currently in rehearsal for Next Fall.  The Play features both new faces and seasoned Wellesley Players in this Tony Award-nominated and stunning play.   Currently in residence at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, the Players will perform Next Fall in the Black Box Theatre May 2-11, 2014.  Tickets are now on sale.  The Black Box Theatre is an intimate space and a perfect environment for exploring this lighthearted, yet thoughtful, play.  Please purchase tickets early.  This is a must see this season!

Geoffrey Nauffts’ NEXT FALL takes a witty and provocative look at faith, commitment and unconditional love. The play’s central story focuses on the five-year relationship between Adam and Luke, exploring the internal, social, and familial obstacles faced by a same-sex interfaith couple. One an atheist and one a devout Christian, the two men struggle to reconcile their differences and accept themselves and each other.  This timely and compelling new American play forces us all to examine what it means to “believe” and what it might cost us not to.

Waltham resident Ryan MacPherson is cast in the lead role of Luke, a devout Christian who simultaneously sees homosexuality as a sin, but is himself homosexual.  Ryan has worked with Wellesley Players before, starring as Japeth in last season’s Children of Eden (itself a stunning success earning the cast several DASH award nominations including one for Best Musical).  Ryan comes to Next Fall having seen a prior production of it, finding it moving, and finding it stuck in his thoughts for days to come. 

Ryan comes to this role looking “to challenge myself as an actor and push beyond what I know and am comfortable with.”  This production, and this role, are particularly interesting to him.  “Many of my close friends are gay and the dichotomy of sexuality and religion is one that fascinates me.  I think many gay men that are religious would make the argument that God’s love is for everybody, but Luke truly believes he is going to Hell because of his sexuality.  I was really excited to explore the nature of those seemingly contradictory factors to create an honest portrayal of Luke.”

Ryan works in the HR Department at Liberty Mutual in Boston.  He loves watching movies and playing hopelessly nerdy video games.

Performances: May 2-4 and 8-11, 2014.  Performances will be at the Arsenal Center for the Arts, Black Box Theatre.  Tickets are now available.  www.ticketstage.com/WP.  Reserve your seat early!