Department of Theatre and Dance opens spring season with ‘Middletown’

The Lamar University Department of Theatre and Dance will open its spring season with “Middletown,” a play by acclaimed American playwright Will Eno, with performances scheduled for Feb. 19–21 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. in the Studio Theatre on Lamar University’s campus.

Directed by Joel Grothe, department chair and associate professor of theatre, “Middletown” is set in a small American town that feels both familiar and quietly expansive. The play follows the intersecting lives of everyday residents, including an expectant mother, a lonely handyman, a librarian and a police officer, as they move through routine moments that reveal deeper emotional and philosophical truths.

The production uses poetic language and gentle humor to explore themes of connection, isolation and the passage of time, highlighting how ordinary experiences can carry extraordinary meaning. By blending realism with subtle abstraction, “Middletown” invites audiences to consider the beauty and sadness of daily life and the shared human search for understanding and belonging.

First produced in 2006, “Middletown” has earned recognition for its intimate, reflective style and its ability to balance humor with existential inquiry. The play’s focus on character and atmosphere makes it a contemplative opening to the department’s spring season.

To learn more about the Lamar University Department of Theatre and Dance, visit https://www.lamar.edu/fine-arts-communication/theatre-and-dance/.

To buy tickets and see additional spring season performances, visit https://lutd.ludus.com/index.php.