Proof proves great show for DramaTech

DramaTech is currently performing Proof, a play written by David Auburn and directed by Peg Shelton (Tartuffe and The Foreigner). Proof has won a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for Best Play. It revolves around Catherine, played by Erika Gemzer, who is the daughter of recently deceased mathematician Robert, played by Will Wright.

When her father’s mental illness begins to affect his daily life, Catherine decides to quit college to take care of him full time. Her sister, who was working to support the family, comes home after their father’s death to help settle the estate. The play follows Catherine as she discovers her father’s secrets and struggles to reveal her own.

Proof takes place entirely on the back porch of an old dying house. The house is located in Chicago and is owned by Robert, a professor at the University of Chicago. Robert is a brilliant mathematician who contributed to many different fields of math and science. In fact, he was so good that many of his accomplishments were published before the age of 21. However, in his later years, he developed a mental illness and his once brilliant brain gave way to paranoia and compulsive writing.

Catherine is Robert’s daughter. She receives the spark of genius from her father and is afraid she might have received the mental illness as well. When her father’s health deteriorated, she dropped out of Northwestern and moved back home. She is deeply attached to the house and refuses to sell it after Robert’s death.

Since Robert was a compulsive writer, he left behind 103 notebooks full of written material. Hal, played by Michael Sullivan, goes through the notebooks to see if they are all gibberish or if the genius returned for a brief moment. He desperately hopes that Robert left a proof which he can share with the world.

Claire, played by Laura K. Czyzewski, is Catherine’s sister who has come home for the funeral and to sell the home. She also wants her sister to move to New York where Catherine will have a fresh start and a new life.

The combination of a strong cast and a convincing set design set the stage for an evening of enchanting entertainment. DramaTech’s small theatre provided an intimate setting that drew the audience into the play. The audience felt like they were a part of the events, rather than simply watching events occur. Much of the atmosphere was caused by the actors’ excellent skill.

Erika Gemzer was by far the best. She displayed a full range of emotions, both verbally and through body language. The audience felt and experienced her tears, laughter and anger. Michael Sullivan convincingly portrayed a math geek, which seems to be inspired by Tech’s own math students. His nervous tics such as constantly holding onto backpack straps or holding his arms perfectly straight will ring true to Tech guys.

The set design was especially noteworthy. The amount of detail was astonishing. The porch had all the makings of a dying porch, including chipped paint, aging wood and vine overgrowth.

The detail continued with the props as well. The seasons are different during the flashbacks, so the prop change accordingly. During the winter, all the plants were replaced by dead ones and live ones for the summer.

Proof will be playing until Saturday, February 18th. Tickets are $5 for students, $8 for faculty and staff, and $10 for the public.

Proof is a perfect choice for Tech. The premise is based on math, for which Tech students have an affinity. All the math and science jokes will hit home. And so does the awkwardness of talking to members of the opposite sex.