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ENTERTAINMENT

‘Book of D’ has world premiere at Growing Stage

BILL NUTT
CORRESPONDENT

The ancient myths of Orpheus, Icarus, and the Minotaur would seem to have little bearing on a kid in the 21st Century.

But most young people are not like D, the young protagonist of “The Book of D.” a new play that will run the next two weekends at The Growing Stage – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey.

In the script by author Cody Daigle-Orians, D is a lonely boy (played by Sean Cahill of Netcong) whose parents are going through a divorce. He struggles to make sense of a world in which he has no friends.

Then D meets Blu (Julia Mayhood of Stanhope), who introduces him to the world of Greek mythology. D finds that he is able to relate to the centuries-old stories. More importantly, he realizes that he has made a friend.

“This is a play about a kid finding his place in the world through these stories,” says Daigle-Orians. “He’s trying to find order in the chaos of his world.”

Daigle-Orians says that his own parents remain happily married. But in many other respects, he feels a strong sense of kinship with D.

“I tell my friends that this is one of my most personal pieces,” says Daigle-Orians, who has written about a dozen plays. “I identify with D’s sense of being out of place.”

The idea for “The Book of D” has been germinating for several years, according to Daigle-Orians. Several years ago, when he was working at a summer camp, he wrote scenes for mythology for young people to enact.

Daigle-Orians says he has always been a fan of Greek myths. He points to the legend of Orpheus – in which Orpheus journeys to the underworld to rescue his beloved Eurydice, only to lose her again – as especially important to him.

“The story of Orpheus is the story about letting go of something,” Daigle-Orians says. “It’s always been one of my favorites.”

For the specifics of “The Book of D,” Daigle-Orians chose to have the parents of his main characters on the verge of a divorce. “In a lot of my stories, I come back to the theme of loss again and again. It’s a process I’m interested in exploring,” he says.

“In the case of D, I wanted to give him a life challenge,” Daigle-Orians says. “He’s losing the stable family unit.”

In “The Book of D,” several characters take on multiple roles. For example, Phylicia Freeman plays both D’s mother and Eurydice, while Izzy Figueroa appears as Dad, Orpheus, Theseus and the Minotaur.

Freeman and Figueroa are among the four Equity performers who have roles in “The Book of D.” (One of the hallmarks of The Growing Stage is the fact that it enables amateur actors to work alongside professionals.)

Daigle-Orians submitted his script to The Growing Stage in 2014. The work had several readings, culminating in a final read about a year ago.

Daigle-Orians has been impressed with The Growing Stage and with Stephen L. Fredericks, founder and executive director, who is directing “The Book of D.” “There’s a great sense of respect and care for playwrights and plays,” Daigle-Orians says.

The author plans to particulate in a writing workshop before the performance on Feb. 20. “I’m a hardcore introvert, so talkbacks tend to be anxiety-ridden,” he says. “But to talk about these characters is not the worst thing in the world.”

Daigle-Orians hopes that “The Book of D” will inspire some people to investigate Greek mythology. “I want people to have a greater appreciation for these stories,” he says. “Telling stories is a way to make connections with others.”

THE BOOK OF D

WHEN: Through Feb. 21. 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

WHERE: The Growing Stage – The Children’s Theatre of New Jersey, Route 183, 7 Ledgewood Ave., Netcong

TICKETS: Fridays: $15. Saturdays and Sundays: $25, $20 for seniors, $15 for students

INFO: 973-347-4946 and www.growingstage.com