You now what’s not a hard pass, Cock, the “stimulating play” written by Mike Bartlett, currently being put on at Millikin’s very own student run blackbox creative space Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre (PDST).  It runs through weekends Sept 16 through October 2nd. While some dates may have passed already you still have time to be in the audience with shows happening on Sep 30th at 10:30 pm and October 1st at 11;59 pm and October 2nd at 5pm. If you haven’t seen this production yet, the above dates and times are a perfect time to go see the show. For more show information and or purchase tickets. Visit, http://www.pdtheatre.org/homepage/.  Hurry up and purchase those tickets as you only two more weekends to see this wonderful show.

Cock chronicles the tale of a main character named John who for the longest time has been in a relationship with a man. However, “as things start to crumble between the two of them, they decide to take a break.” Therefore John is left conflicted and he begins to fall in love with a women. This tale according to Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre website is fraught with intertwining stories, “vivid language and countless emotions” as John is jettisoned into the position to choose between the man he loves and the woman he has begun to love while struggling with his own identity as well.  It is interesting to note that both of his paramours are willing to wait for him as he figures his identity out and they are both willing to fight for his love as well. Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre  website continues, the “seemingly trapped” main character John ends up debating his feelings between his two lovers “at a rather awkward dinner party” involving the three of them. This winds up prompting the question that is on everyone’s minds “Who is John? And Who will he choose.”

As a viewer of art don’t be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone and take part in the art taking place, where a person takes a journey we all have taken and/or will take at some point in our lives no matter our race, gender, sexuality etc. This production takes a very interesting take and shines a light on sexuality and its fluidity as one may find themselves identifying with the myriad of types of sexuality on its spectrum during their lifetime. Sexuality is not just black and white, gay and straight, there are gray areas as well and Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre’s production of Cock under the direction of John Farina does a fantastic job of navigating in and around one’s confusion not only about sexuality but about life as well.

Those who have seen the show all say the same thing, it’s a great show, would recommend it, 10 out 10, you should definitely go see it! It is getting nothing but praise and rightfully so. Job well done for John Farina, and his excellent and smart direction of his cast and characters, ( Ben Viette’s emotional portrayal of John, the protagonist, Rachel Head characterization of “W” as well as, Logan Mclaskey’s depiction of “F” and Daniel’s Rausch representation of “M”).

We have irrevocably connected sexuality to gender for many moons even though it’s a socially constructed ideal. This production of Cock explores how it doesn’t matter the gender of the person you love and or sleep with because “sexuality is not something you should or ever fit into a box.” John, the protagonist, isn’t deciding between a man or woman he is simply deciding who do I connect with more as a person not as a gender. John Farina, the director states, “the themes of the show are a lot deeper  than what people are used to and it’s a very progressive play because it doesn’t focus on being on being gay or straight, it’s somewhere in the middle and it’s not even bisexual.”  He continues, the cool thing of of this production is that a play like this is “finally  focusing on this kind of topic” due its relevance in today’s society.  The beauty of this production is that this important conversation of life and sexuality doesn’t have to end once you leave the Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre space. Theater should advocate and not just be an initial stepping stone to point out issues impacting society, it should actually be a platform for conversations such as the ones taking place in PDST’s production of Cock and others like it to happen in and outside of the theater.

You don’t want to miss out to be apart of this important conversation, please go see Pipe Dreams Studio Theatre Presents: Cock!