Love Conquers All in UNEXPECTED at Brelby

John Perovich's play, unexpected, opens May 19th at Brelby Theatre Company.

"The collaborative process of theatre - everyone pitching in to put on a production - is the most exciting part of the process for me as a playwright," Perovich said. "Watching the collaboration occur is like watching magic. From a writer's perspective - here is this idea I had that I worked on for quite some time - I was able to put it all to paper, and now a large group of artists are coming together to interpret my idea. It's a humbling, magical experience. I'm tremendously grateful and excited to see opening night."

Perovich's playwriting credits include, shallow grave (Arizona State University 2014), poseidon's regret (Brelby Theatre Company 2015), missing grace (Brelby Theatre Company 2015), on display (Arizona State University 2016), and my love | my lumberjack (B3 Productions 2017). John facilitates Write Club with Brelby Theatre Company - a free and open group for playwrights to develop new work. He teaches at Metropolitan Arts Institute, instructing theatre and film courses with high school students. Perovich has instructed at Stockton University, Arizona State University, and Chandler-Gilbert Community College. He recently founded Now & Then Creative Company, whose mission includes a focus on play development for Arizona writers. He holds a M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing from Arizona State University, a M.A. in Educational Theatre from New York University, and a B.A. in Communications from Rowan University. Perovich is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.

Director of unexpected is Gerald Thomson, whose past directing credits include Mass Appeal, 'night Mother and Getting Away With Murder. His acting credits include Carter Forstman in Any Number Can Die, Decius Brutus/Strato in Julius Caesar and four roles in She Rhythms.

According to Thomson, the most exciting part about working on an original script is that "we truly get to build this thing from the ground up. We also get the chance to ask John what he meant throughout the show. We are hopefully fulfilling the author's vision as well as it can be done," he said.

What is unexpected about?

Perovich's short answer is "love."

Thomson sees more complexity. "This show is about love conquering all obstacles in its way. But in this show, the obstacles are enormous," he said. "This cast is so talented that the show is moving in a great direction on its own. All I have to is provide slight adjustments. It has been a delight," Thomson said.

Perovich enthusiastically concurs. "This is a wonderful, entertaining cast," he said. Furthermore, he added, "Audiences should come see unexpected if they enjoy storytelling. The play has its roots in Greek mythology, and unfolds as a unique fairytale around ideas of love. During the course of the play, there are plenty of laughs, surprises, and (hopefully) thoughtful moments. If you're looking for a great time at the theatre, come see this play."

"There are eight characters in unexpected," interjected Thomson. "You will find yourself in one of them and hopefully learn more about how you deal with your relationships," he concluded.

Brelby partners with local downtown Glendale businesses to offer more options for audience members. By showing their digital ticket, audiences can receive 10% off of their bill at the Hop Stop Diner, 10% off of any entrée at Haus Murphy's Restaurant, and 10% off of a customer's bill at the Olde Towne Glendale (OTG) Beer & Wine Bar or the Gaslight Inn.

UNEXPECTED plays May 19-20, 26-27, June 2-3, 9-10 @ 7:30PM
May 21, 28, June 4 @ 2:00PM. Tickets are available by visiting the official website at brelby.com/tickets. General admission is $25 per performance. Admission tounexpected is included in the benefits of Brelby's ShowGO subscription: brelby.com/showgo. The Brelby Playhouse is located at 7154 N 58th Dr, Glendale, AZ 85301.

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