The play’s the thing at GU

If you’re not doing anything tonight at 10 p.m., you might want to check out the play “Take Me Out,” which is ending its short run at Gonzaga University ‘s Magnuson Theatre (located at the east end of College Hall).

I went to the show last night and was surprised how good the play is and how well the actors did, considering they’re students and that most of them didn’t know their lines (the production is modified reader’s theater).

But nothing detracts from the play, which is a commentary not so much on any of the individual issues - being gay, being prejudiced, being selfish, being disloyal - as it is how all these issue in concert result in societal dysfunction.

And the cast? Well, several stand out, especially GU basketball player Stephen Gray, who impresses as a Hall of Fame major-leaguer who has just come out as gay and who is considering retirement not because of prejudice but because he just doesn’t want to play anymore. His main foil is played by Bing Blalock, whose job is to portray an ignorant country boy with a blazing fastball and politically incorrect opinions regarding just about everything.

I should reveal that Blalock, a junior, is in one of the BUSN 270 courses that I teach. And, yeah, he’s proven to be that good an actor during our class scenarios, too. His Donald Trump is Tony-worthy.

Word of advice: Get there early. I got one of the few remaining seats last night, and I showed up 15 minutes early.