Dark walls engulf the room with only a single window to the outside world. A yellowing couch sits in the center of the stage, a broken television set lays abandoned in the corner and trash is dispersed about the floor. This is the world of "Riff Raff," the latest production debuting in the Cave Theatre.
The play "Riff Raff" by actor Laurence Fishburne takes place on Halloween night on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. After a drug heist goes terribly wrong, two men, Mike "20/20" and his half brother Billy "Torch" hide out in an abandoned crack den. Billy has just made the unforgivable mistake of killing the head honcho of the neighborhood's reigning drug lord. In desperation, Mike calls on the aid of his former colleague Tony "Tiger" to bail them out.
As the three men are thrown together, chaos ensues with guns being drawn, insults being thrown and secrets being revealed until the climactic finish.
"At its core it is a story about brotherhood," sophomore acting major Craig Ester, who plays Mike, said.
Despite all of the violence and street jargon, the story has a deeper message trying to be exposed.
"It is about conflict and the struggles of striving for something," Ethan Litt, a sophomore musical theatre major who plays Billy, said.
Junior production and directing major and first time director Cary Patterson said she accidently stumbled upon the play and knew she found something special. The play which has been described as raw, gritty and intense is like nothing the Cave Theatre has produced before, she said.
Patterson said she wishes to take the audience to a place they are not accustomed to.
"It is sharing a whole other culture. Being in the Midwest we don't get to see something like this that often," she said.
"Riff Raff's" world of drugs and crime was a difficult one for the actors to immerse themselves in.
"The most challenging part has been existing in the world of the play. It is very far removed from where we are from," Ester said.
Senior acting major David Guiden describes the show as "raw" and assures that "it will make you uncomfortable for an hour and a half, but in a good way."
Having the show in the Cave afforded the cast and crew an unequaled work experience.
Patterson, who thinks of the Cave as her second home, said she feels the student control creates a "safe environment to make mistakes and have great accomplishments."
"I always wanted to be a part of the Cave," Guiden said. "To be a part of something not faculty driven. It gives me the chance to take what I've learned and work on it without the faculty pushing us forward."
Working with peers allowed the cast fewer pressures than the faculty run shows.
"It is nice to work with people your own age. It is more collaborative and you know they are learning just like you are," Guiden said.
Aside from the benefit of being student-run, the Cave also has an intimate atmosphere that larger theatres lack, Ester said.
"Cave shows are something different to see because of the close proximity. If you want you can reach out and touch the table," Ester said.
Adapting to the confined space is an exciting challenge.
"It is a fun space, but it is different because you have to adapt and accommodate to the space and always be aware of your energy," Litt said.
Patterson said she hopes "Riff Raff" will be an escape from normal life for the audience and that people will appreciate the new experience.
"This show is special because the story is about voices of people who don't usually get heard," Ester said.
Curtains will rise for "Riff Raff" at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 16 through Feb. 19 and two matinee shows will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 and 20.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at the University Theatre Box Office for $5.50 or are available for purchase at the door.
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